Name: Serana Stage: 3 - Spearman (Rider) Race: Earthling: Ice Gender: Female 3 Base Traits: Chaste, Selfless, Elegant Personality: Serana embodies the very meaning of chasitity. She has managed all throughout her life to be pure from hostility, temptation and corruption. While she does frown on violence, she isn't a pacifist, and is not beyond defending herself or others from danger, and she understands that violence must sometimes be a means of achieving that protection. Most times, she struggles with guilt for doing so, but the comfort she feels knowing she protected someone often justifies her actions.
She is selfless, often sacrificing her own needs for the greater good. Sometimes this can cause trouble for her because she will often be looking out for the health and prosperity of others, and forget to mind her own. At times her selflessness can cause her to seem a bit too aloof and unmindful of her own situation.
Serana is very elegant and beautiful. Her elegance makes her seem almost like what royalty should be, pure, elegant, beautiful. Many find her beauty hard to resist, however, this isn't always a good thing. Sometimes her beauty attracts some of the unruly types, which can lead to trouble. For her suitors that are more well behaved, she kindly turns them down, keeping herself free to care for Iska and her close friends and family.
Description: Serana looks like a traditional Iceling, with pale blue skin, gold eyes, and dark hair. Her cheeks have a constant pinkish blush, and she has gems on her shoulders and neck. Clothing: She tends to wear long white dresses, signifying her elegance and enhancing her beauty. Accessories: Serana has a yellow gemstone circlet, and a golden ornate hairpiece given to her by one of her acquaintances, Tryston. History: Serana comes from a rich family who use their power and money for petty squabbles, spending money on themselves and seeking personal gain through taking advantage of others' misfortune. Serana was born in this family with a sense of right and wrong, and has always felt as though they could be doing so much more with their money than multiplying it. As a child, Serana played with the other children as innocent as can be, always striding to help her friends. Growing into her teens, she realized the wrong of her family's actions. Until she was much older, however, she kept out of her parents affairs.
Her parents raised her to act like a lady at all times, which gave her her sense of elegance growing up, although she had to develop her sense of manners on her own. She was a natural at it though, so she became the sheep among wolves in her family, acting proper, and shaping up to be a very beautiful girl. When she was old enough, she started to learn about the political structure of Zena, about the councils and council members, and more frighteningly, how her parents were using their money to bribe the council in their favor, giving them more freedom to do as they pleased.
She wanted to get involved in order to right this wrong, however, as it stood, she herself didn't have a reputation yet. Therefore, whenever she was passing a village, she would help as much as she could, trying to make a name for herself. She studied medicine a bit and helped the sick and injured. Eventually she became popular enough that when she arrived in a village, everyone would come to greet her and their spirits would be instantly lifted. Her suitors would follow her trying to gain her hand and admiring her beauty until she left. She would turn them down of course, but she did dream of finding the person she could spend her days with, helping each other and other people.
Recently, she was invited to sit in a council session, and as she sat through the debates, she learned as much as she could about the issues at hand, and when it was over, she would do her best to help her people, and put an end to her parents' corruption. As she attended more and more sessions, she found it increasingly harder to keep to herself and listen until finally she did speak up and fond herself disowned by her family.
Familiars
Iska, the Janarim
Gender: Male History: Iska was rescued from the brink of death by a travelling merchant in Oba. One day, when travelling to Zena, he became sick. Having issues adjusting to the cold climate, he found himself once more on the verge of passing on to the next life, until one day, Serana happened by and treated his illness. As she treated him day after day, he became more and more attached to her. The merchant decided to let her keep Iska as soon as he was back to full health, and the two became inseparable ever since. He now spends his days guarding her as her faithful companion.
Zena's snow never seemed to let up lately, however Serana always found it so pretty, when it wasn't blizzard conditions. There was something graceful and elegant about the snow slowly falling down, gently influenced by the light breeze every now and then. It reminded her of a scene in one of the books she used to read as a little girl. She giggled as she held her hand out to catch a snowflake or two. It wasn’t particularly cold, probably because of the lack of wind, so the snowflakes more tickled the palm of her hand as they landed. She giggled as she withdrew her hand from out of the window to her room. I think I’ll go to the village today. Serana loved going to the village, and the villagers certainly loved when she visited. They found her lovely and wonderful to have around. She was always trying to do her best to help them. At the end of the day, the smiling faces as she left for the evening was certainly the best reward.
Serana changed into her favorite white dress, put on her boots, and covered herself with a tan cloak and hood with fur lining the edges. She started towards her door, when she heard a clamor down the hall. It was her parents, probably coming to see what she was doing, although they mostly just pretend to care about what she does during the day. Most of the time they don’t really care what she does with her time, they just treat the act of asking as a formality. Briskly, she opened the door to greet them. “Good morning, Mother, Father.” She did a little curtsy as she addressed them.
“I see you’re ready to go somewhere. Will you be going to the village today again?” Her father asked.
“Yes, father, if that’s okay.” Serana replied.
“Do be careful. Never know what those… Savages will do to you.” Her mother said. Serana didn’t like it when she referred to the villagers, who had been so nice to her, as savages, but she never wanted to cause any trouble, so she always just let it go.
“Very well. I will be back before sundown, then.”
“Have fun, Serana.” As Serana walked past them she heard her mother say to her father how she wonders what it is she does in the village that she spends so much time there. Oh well, it’s best to just let them be and say what they want.
She made her way down the hill through the light snowy day, and the snow covered path. She was so excited to see everyone in the village, and wondered what she would be doing today. Would it be helping the old couple with their animals? Or perhaps she would help the children get their studying done so they can play around? Whatever the job, she was giddy to get started. As she approached the village she saw that there was a cart in the outskirts. Oh? There’s a trader here today? She became excited just thinking about all the goods he must have. She made a quick pace towards the center of town, almost skipping all the way there. Saying hello to those she skipped past, she smiled and finally made it to where the merchant had decided to set up shop. There wasn’t much of a crowd, but the merchant had all kinds of curious wares. He had so many, he had to set up little mini areas for some goods. Weapons, herbs, books, poultices, pottery, armor, animals and he even had clothes! Serana’s eyes sparkled as she admired all of his wares, and as she beamed, she was approached by the merchant himself, a native to Zena. He was a short and stocky older gentleman wearing nice warm, deep brown furs. He laughed and smiled as he waved to her “Why, hello there young lady! Is there anything I can help ya with?”
She looked at the man and smiled. “No, thank you, sir, but I would like to look around.”
“Well, I’ll be here if you need me, miss.” He nodded at her then went back to fixing some of the items on a rack to make sure they were arranged perfectly. Serana looked through all of his goods, and came to some of the exotic creatures he had with him. He had plenty of baby kinfa, but in the corner, behind one of the kinfa cage stacks, there was a large lizard-like creature. He had white and yellow scales on top, and a purple underbelly. He was a beautiful creature, almost serene, however Serana felt that there was something wrong. He was laying on his side and panting. It didn’t even react to her approach like most of the animals did. She called the merchant over and asked, “What creature is this, and what seems to be the problem with him?”
“Oh…” The merchant looked down and sighed. “That there is what’s called a Janarim. They’re from Oba. I found him seriously injured and nursed him back to health, but…” he paused and looked at Serana. “Well, ever since we came back to Zena, he seems to have gotten sick. I’ve tried some medicines, but it just doesn’t seem to do anything. I fear his days might be numbered…”
“Oh, no…” Serana almost cried. “Poor thing…” Wasn’t there anything she could do? I suppose it wouldn’t hurt. She certainly wouldn’t sit by and let him suffer, that was for certain. “Please, sir, may I try to help him?”
“Well, sure, wouldn’t do any harm… I’d hate to see him go on any longer like this.”
“Thank you, sir.” She did a curtsy and proceeded to approach the beats in its pen. It was much bigger up close, and was almost intimidating. She reached out a hand and touched its front shoulder. It growled at her touch and looked at her with one eye half open. “Shh, it’s okay… I’m here to help you.” She smiled at it lightly to try and take the edge off. He closed his eye and inhaled deeply, his body rising and falling. His body was really hot to the touch. “You are burning up! We have to get you some medicine quickly to bring down your fever.”
She purchased a few herbs from the merchant and ground them up using two stones. She took the paste that was created and held the rock with the paste on it by the beast’s mouth. “Here, eat some of this. It might not taste good, but it should help you…”
The Janarim growled at Serana, reluctant to accept the medicine from her. She frowned at him and said “Please?” Almost as if he really understood her, he weakly lifted his head and licked up the medicine from the rock. It grunted and went back to resting on the ground. Serana went up to the merchant and said “Well, I’ll come back tomorrow to see if he’s doing any better.” With that, she went home to rest up. I hope he’ll be okay… The next day when she went back to see the Janarim, she was surprised to see him sitting down in his pen with all of his limbs tucked under his body. “Oh? You seem to be doing better already… Hm… I think I’ll call you Iska.” She said as she smiled at the Janarim. It grunted at her and walked towards her. He was a bit taller than her, and she closed her eyes, frightened at the creature. He sniffed her hair and then lowered his head and looked at her. Serana opened her eyes and carefully put her hand on his head and proceeded to pet him. As she giggled, the merchant approached her.
“Well, well. I’ll be damned. You managed to help the poor guy. He’s taken a real liking to you too. Janarim are very loyal creatures…”
“Well, he certainly is a well-mannered sir, isn’t he?” She said as she continued to pet him. He was still tired, but she knew with more rest, he would be fit enough to run around to his heart’s content.
“I don’t think you understand, miss…” The merchant smiled at her. “He’s bonded with you. You can keep him if you’d like. Since you helped save his life, it’s only fair that you get to take him with you. You don’t have to of course, but… It would mean a lot to him.”
Serana was taken aback by the suddenness of the situation. Me? Keep a Janarim? I don’t know where I’d keep him though… but… He certainly is a nice guy, despite his scary exterior.
After a moment of pondering and a few more pets on his head, she found herself getting more and more attached to the idea of keeping him. “Well, my parents certainly won’t see this one coming, but I’ll keep him. I’ll take care of you, Iska.” She said to the Janarim. It huffed in approval, and she lead him to her home. What an interesting friend I’ve made. She blissfully smiled and continued to walk home with Iska.
[WC 1527]
Prentice, Solo 2 – Determination
She swore she could feel the wind in her hair. Serana giggled as she seemingly flew through the open space. Snow and ice both flurried past her as she continued on with her arms raised above her head in celebration. It was an endless loop; one that just kept her going round and round. Yet, something about it felt familiar. As she lowered her hands the girl found her arms wrapping around the familiar feeling of Iska’s neck.
“We did it Iska, we did it!”
She was riding him! It was a natural feeling and she was a pure genius at it! In her hand was the lance that Tryston had bought for her and she was balanced perfectly with it. So much for him doubting her! The girl let out a laugh of glee before the dream decided enough was enough. Serana gasped as she accidentally bounced forward and landed on the ground. Her whole body felt so heavy and tired…almost like a weight was holding her down.
Serana woke up to Iska placing his head on her stomach and whining. He wanted her to wake up, but she was so exhausted from the previous day, when her friend Tryston was trying to try to teach her how to ride her Janarim. I really would like to learn to ride him one day…She didn’t think she did too badly, for her first time, that is until she fell off as soon as Iska picked up speed. She knew it wasn’t going to be an easy task. Even though they were the closest of friends, she and Iska would have to achieve a higher level of friendship. They would have to be completely in sync with each other in order for her to ride him, and even more so if she were to do so at high speeds. Tryst was right, there was just so much that she had to learn. Yet she knew they could do it. If anything yesterday made her even more optimistic about learning how to ride. Hadn’t Tryst said that he was impressed? That was hope enough from her more usually stern friend.
She started to feel a sore spot and groaned. “Sorry Iska, my body is in a lot of pain.” She really wanted to go back to sleep, but her eyes met with a look of guilt. “Aww, it’s okay. If I am going to learn to ride you, we both will have to work hard together.” She smiled at him as he huffed. “That’s the spirit!” She pet his head, and slowly rolled out of bed. Filled with the sudden determination, she got dressed in some leather pants, a fur lined shirt, a leather vest, and a fur shawl. Although her body certainly didn’t agree with her decision, she was ready to try and learn once more. We can do this… I’m sure we will get the hang of it in no time. Iska ran circles around her and then ran up to her door and sat down and looked at her, raring to go. She opened it and he bolted for the great outdoors. Serana was slow to catch up, given the body aches and leg pains.
Despite her pain she could at least appreciate the day. It was mostly clear, with only a faint trace of snow gently falling from the skies. The mountains above loomed with their snow tipped peaks, but even they seemed to be brighter today. There was no thick fog or snowy mists covering them up today. Perhaps if she squinted she could even see people walking along the rocky cliffs? Shaking her head Serana turned and continued after her familiar who was still bouncing along up ahead. If only I had the energy to do that still.
When she finally caught up with Iska, they were within eyesight of their home, but far enough away that they could start practicing again. Serana clasped her hands together and took a deep breath. “Okay, Iska… Are you ready?” Iska walked up next to her and dropped onto his belly, low to the ground so Serana could climb on. She took another breath and said, “Okay, buddy go easy on me… I’m still sore from when I fell off yesterday.” She giggled and smiled at him. “And… Go!”
Iska started slowly and then started to run faster and faster. Serana held onto him as much as she could, trying to keep her legs tight enough against Iska that she could keep her balance, but not too tight that it would cause her to constantly jolt with each of his steps. It was just like her dream this morning! Perhaps it really was a sign that this was meant to be! Her heart racing the girl smiled brilliantly towards the clear skies. I… I’m doing it! Her excitement distracted her and her lack of focus caused her to lose balance. Iska’s next step lurched her off of his back, and she fell into the soft snow. She rolled then came to a stop on her back. Iska ran over as soon as she fell off to find her half giggling and half groaning in the snow. “We did it Iska! Some more practice, and we’ll be golden.” She forced a smile through the pain. For now, though… I need some rest. More pain made her edit her previous thought. Perhaps it was more than just some rest she needed…Maybe even a week’s worth of sleep… Iska carried her to her room, and helped her into bed once more. When Tryst came back how surprised would he be to see her riding? Even better yet what if she could hold the lance too? Then he truly would be in trouble! How would he handle her once she became a true rider? Such gleeful thoughts continued to fill her mind as she laid on her bed. Resting her head on her pillows the girl laid there until she drifted to a blissful sleep. I knew we could do it…
[WC 1009]
Prentice, Solo 3 – Trouble in the Council
Serana’s eyes shot wide open. Somehow, her body was completely awake in an instant, and with perfect timing too. The day had finally come that she could attend another council meeting, only this time she would finally gather the courage to speak up against the council, and all of the corruption in it. She was truly tired of seeing her parents abuse their power, and she didn’t want the nice people of the village to be wronged any longer. They all deserved a fair chance as hardworking people, and fair treatment was the least the council could do for them. Because of people like her parents, however, they were constantly getting the short end of the deal. No more. These people shouldn’t have to deal with this any longer. She sat up and looked out the window. It was really early in the morning, and the sky was very dark from the clouds obscuring the morning sun. I’m awake much earlier than I thought…
Serana got dressed, taking care not to wake Iska. She wanted him to stay in their home because the both of them knew beasts weren’t allowed in the council meeting, and he often got restless not knowing how she was, even if the council chamber was safe. He would often try to break free from the holding area, to no avail, but it certainly put the guards on edge. She wanted him to be as comfortable as possible. When she was done putting on an elegant white dress, she snuck out of the room and shut the door. Sorry Iska. I don’t want you to get in trouble…
She made her way to the village, heading straight for the council chamber. She figured she would meet her parents eventually, since their seats were usually in the same place as always. Serana waited for the guard to open the council chamber. It was still too early, so the room wasn’t open, and would only open once they received word that the members had all assembled just outside of town. Hopefully it won’t be long before they arrive…. She was getting nervous. What if she couldn’t find her voice? What if she chickened out? No… I… I can’t. I have to do this for the people. I can’t let my parents do as they please anymore.
Eventually, the audience members and council members had all gathered, and she found her parents among the crowd. Next to them, was one of the twelve council members, and old Zenan man. As she approached them she heard them talking of yet another deal that would give her family more money, and this time it would raise the tax on the people. Serana couldn’t stomach it. A knot formed in her abdomen, and a wave of nausea washed over her.
“Mother, Father… What’s this talk of money?” Serana asked.
Her father spoke first, trying to cover up their conversation. “Oh, nothing dear, we were just-“
“Father, don’t lie to me. I know you were cutting a deal with the council again.” Serana couldn’t help but raise her voice a little.
“Young lady, you walk on thin ice. You’d better watch the next words to come out of your mouth, else I’ll have you removed from the council hall.” The council member gave her an angry look. She realized that he wasn’t afraid to use his power for his own personal gain, but at the same time, she knew he felt threatened, for perhaps the council wasn’t aware of his schemes.
“Oh, Derys, please pay her no mind, she is but a harmless girl.” Her mother chimed in.
“No! I won’t let you do this anymore! The people can’t handle more taxes! All for what… To give you more money?”
“Serana, I advise you be quiet. Everything we do, we do for the three of us. Even if that means the villagers have to pay for it, fine, so be it. It’s not really our problem anyway, as long as we are all well off, right?” Her father said in a hushed voice. He is absolutely terrible down to the core, rotten and blinded by his own greed! Serana thought to herself.
“Do you hear yourself, father? You should be reporting this greedy criminal! Instead you side with him and cut in on his schemes?” Serana was absolutely flabbergasted. Her own flesh and blood so far gone, unable to see how badly their actions were affecting the villagers. It’s like they don’t even care! Could they really be this heartless?
“I will not stand for this!” Derys shouted and waved his hands. “Guards! Take this… Madwoman away!” With the call, two guards rushed over and grabbed Serana’s arms and restrained her. “Take her to a holding cell! I’ll deal with her crimes after the meeting.”
As they pulled Serana away, she couldn’t help but shout to her parents, “You can’t do this! Father, Mother, please!” Yet her pleas were only met by a smug grin from her father, and her mother shaking her head.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Serana sat in her jail cell quietly, the guard sitting down at a table watching to make sure she wouldn’t try to escape. Not that she would even think of it, of course. She felt so powerless, like she wouldn’t have made a difference, even if she was on the council. There was a knock at the door to the cell room, and the guard let the man in. It was the council man, Derys. He held up a scroll and read it to her.
“Because of your crimes against a member of the council, you are hereby banished from any future meetings and the council itself, and cannot set foot in the council chambers and the meeting hall.” He squinted at her and spat on the floor. “Be lucky your punishments aren’t worse, girl.” She didn’t look him in the eye, and didn’t say anything. She felt defeated. When she was released from her cell, she walked out of the holding cells with her head hung low. She was completely powerless in her current situation, however, it didn’t mean she couldn’t help the townspeople in other ways. I might have failed, but… I can still help them through my deeds. At the very least, I can do that much…
[WC 1051]
Prentice - Stage 2 Class Quest – Strength of Heart
In this class quest, Serana is forced to fight to defend herself and her beloved Janarim, and leave her home. Breaking away from her pacifist self, she learns that sometimes in order to do what she believes in, she has to fight for it.
The evening was starting to roll in in Zena. Serana continued to walk away from the prison cell of the council chamber with her head hung low. Earlier in the day, she tried to stand up against her parents and one of the council members, which only ended in her getting thrown in jail with nothing to expose the abuse of power her parents and the council man were committing. A few moments ago, she was banished from the council and all of its meetings. She wasn’t sure if that punishment could have been much worse, but she wasn’t going to question it. Maybe someone was looking out for her in the council, but she would never know now. What she did know because she knew how the council worked as far as crime; the council as a whole decided on the punishment for each accused individual, with the audience taking a vote by show of hands, voting on whether the punishment was acceptable, too harsh or too gentle. It can’t be coincidence… Speaking against a council member can be punishable by death…
As the sky darkened, and the townspeople were lighting their torches, she continued to walk past them, not acknowledging anyone. She just didn’t feel like talking to them. She felt like she totally let them down. As her mind sank into sadness and defeat, snow started to fall, and the temperatures were starting to drop. She held herself, covering the outside of her elbows with each hand. She didn’t have a coat since she wasn’t expecting to get home so late. That’s right… Home. With all of her actions, she thought about what her parents would even do if she came home. With the way she tried to call them out for their true crimes, they definitely wouldn’t let her live at home. They probably didn’t even want to see her face anymore. I’ll have to leave… The thought brought a tear to her eye. She didn’t have anywhere to go, and no one to help her. Tryston was away on a mission, so he couldn’t help, and she didn’t have any other close friends that could possibly help her out. She only had her Janarim, Iska, and there was little he could do to help her survive, save for helping to defend her from all sorts of crooks. Serana never felt more alone than she did right now.
She sighed. “Well, I suppose I could sneak inside and collect my things…” And Iska of course… Speaking of which, she figured he had to have been so worried about her right now. She was practically gone all day, and he must have been going crazy locked up in that room. Granted he could bust the door down, but she didn’t think he would do that. He would be more the type to try and jump out of the window, but that was closed as well. Well, we’ll have to see if he’s gotten into any trouble…
Serana walked faster, fighting back tears and shivering from the cold. She was almost there, just a few more trees and she would be. She stumbled on a branch and fell in the snow. She didn’t get hurt, but it made her clothes covered in snow and some of it even melted, soaking her dress. She groaned and shivered more as she felt the icy sting of her cold, melted-snow covered dress stick to her. Pulling herself up on a tree, she found it increasingly difficult to move, as the continuous temperature drop of the Zenan night was starting to take its toll on her body. Just a bit more…
She finally came up to her home, and the evening had fully rolled in. She saw the windows to her parents’ room was completely dark, which meant that they were asleep. She could sneak in the front door, retrieve her things, and be on her way. Hopefully, no one would be wandering in the dark looking for a midnight snack or something. She hurried as fast as she could into her house, being careful not to make any noise opening and closing the door. She couldn’t stop her teeth from chattering because she was so cold, and her limbs wouldn’t stop shaking. Sneaking around a quiet home would be a lot harder than she originally thought in her condition. She leaned up against the wall and took a moment to warm up before continuing. At least it’s warm in here. I can’t wait to get out of these cold, wet clothes…
After gathering some strength and warming up her shaky limbs so they weren’t so shaky anymore, Serana tip toed her way to her room. She carefully opened the door, and slipped inside. Strange… It’s really quiet in here. I was sure Iska would have gone crazy by now…
She called for him in the dark in a sharp whisper. “Iska?” There was no reply, just silence. She couldn’t see a darned thing though. I have no choice but to light the candles in here. Serana felt around for her candle and flint, lit it, and set it on her bedside table. She looked around. It was a complete mess. Many of her dresses were strewn about the room, her knickknacks, things she collected over time, and her javelin all over the floor, and there were scratch marks on the walls and floor and what seemed to be… Blood? Frantically, she kept looking around and there, right by her window, lie Iska. With no signs of injury and very shallow breathing, she couldn’t tell what was wrong with him. He was cool to the touch, which meant he wasn’t sick. Iska whined when she touched him, and she hushed him. “Shhh, it’s me, Iska,” She whispered. Serana found a small puncture near his chest with vein-like blackish markings spreading outward from it. could it be… poison?
Iska lifted his head and grunted. She looked at him. He wasn’t looking at her, but behind her. She whipped around to see an injured man with a covered face and claw wounds across his chest, ready to take a stab at Serana. Quickly, she jumped to the side, keeping her back to the walls, moving carefully towards her weapon. “Who… are you?” She whispered in a sharp tone. Her assailant didn’t answer, but instead he lunged towards her once more. She dove out of the way towards her weapon, and managed to grab it. She laid on her back and put the weapon in front of her, just in time to block the man’s sword.
Alright… time to see if my self-defense practice paid off… She kicked him in the groin, and pushed him over to the side. He reeled from the blow for only a moment, and was soon back on his feet, but so was she, javelin at the ready, in her fighting stance with the javelin pointed at him. Assessing the situation, the bleeding man decided to fight. He jumped in the air with a downward slash. Instead of blocking, Serana moved out of the way, and attacked back with the butt of her javelin. The man was already weakened from the claw marks, so her weak, yet fast attacks seemed to do a number on him. She blocked one of his attacks, swung left to hit him, then right. Then held the spear horizontally, did two upward hits with the pole on the man’s chin, knocking him backwards, and without thinking, she stabbed him in the chest with the blade of the javelin.
The room was completely silent. The only sound was the wind blowing outside, and then a thud as the man’s body hit the floor. She dropped her weapon, horrified that she actually killed someone. She silently burst into tears. Even though he almost killed her and poisoned Iska, she couldn’t help but feel so sorry and guilty. I never wanted this to happen… After a few moments of crying she thought, But… I guess it couldn’t be helped… I chose to fight for the right thing, and I’ve gotten into a lot of trouble… Now I really have to leave… But first she had to save Iska. She searched her room for her emergency herbs, but couldn’t find them. She grew more and more frantic, throwing clothes around, digging through her knickknacks. And then she had a thought. What if the assassin has the antidote… It’s a long shot but… it doesn’t hurt to be prepared, right? She was running out of options either way.
Serana searched the body and found a small vial with a clear fluid. She opened it and took a whiff. Smells like some kind of flower and salt. It had to be the antidote! She ran over to Iska and dabbed it in his wound. Almost instantly, the black markings disappeared, and a few moments later, Iska lifted his head. He was a bit groggy, but he could stand. She hugged him and held back tears. At least she still had him.
~~
Serana changed into her riding outfit, for edged shirt, fur shawl and brown boots, and grabbed her javelin. It felt good to have warm clothes that weren’t wet on. She patted Iska and said “Are you ready?” When he grunted, she opened the door to the room and walked outside. Dawn was approaching thankfully, so the temperature was increasing, making it safer to travel. She looked back when they reached the bottom of the hill. Well, I suppose this is good-bye, home… She decided to travel the world like she once dreamed. At least she wasn’t alone, she had Iska. She continued to walk through the trees and her home disappeared from view.
[WC 1625]
Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2020 1:14 pm
Journal - Stage 2
Stage 2, Solo 1 – I choose you
They were on the run. What felt like only minutes had turned into hours and then days as Serana traveled across Zena on the back of her janarim. Serana only stopped in short spurts throughout the villages, just long enough to rest and get food. She was too afraid to linger in any one spot. Save for her brief meeting with Rhag’na the girl hadn’t interacted with anyone openly. It was simply too dangerous. So both the janarim and his rider continued moving and moving. And moving. As the day began to blur Serana had to wonder when her journey would finally end. Was she ever going to become stronger at this rate? It was hard to train when she was too busy traveling miles every day and looking over her shoulder at every meal. Just surviving took so much of her time in the wilderness of Zena since she skirted around most towns save for when she needed supplies.
Once when someone glanced her way a few extra times the girl found herself rushing through the store and getting right back on Iska. She hadn’t even gotten the proper supplies she had arrived for but the fear that someone was coming for her kept her on the move. Even her brief meeting with Rhag’na had been rushed even though she had wished to spend more time with him so that she could find out more. More about Tryston, about her home, about the troubles brewing in those northern mountains of Zena. Seeing him had truly made her realize how she felt so unprepared and alone. Did she have any real plans? Other than running that was? Serana shook her head in frustration. She would figure it out later. For now the best goal was to get away from the village, away from her family and just focus on finding a sanctuary where she could train and plan. Then she could find Rhag’na again and see what else he had found out.
It was something of a plan at least. Not a very detailed one, but still something. Serana nodded her head at the thought before pressing on. At least they would be to the border soon enough. Should be any day now, right? She rubbed Iska’s neck in support as they began to press on.
As they traveled closer to the border there was admittedly less snows. But that didn’t save the area from snowstorms. As the snows fell and fell Serana and Iska had to take refuge in yet another village before finally emerging a few days later to continue their journey. Serana wasn’t certain of where she wanted to go, but she knew one thing – they had to get far away from home. So for now both she and Iska would keep walking.
This morning everything was quiet except for the crunching of snow beneath Iska's claws. The two companions had been walking since late at night. She was so exhausted that it was easy for her eyes to close against the smooth rhythm of the janarim’s stride. Serana awoke on top of her closest friend, as he walked further into the woods. Is this a dream yet? The thought circled her mind several times over during this trip only to be met with the harsh reality of her all too real memories from that night. Her parents hired an assassin to kill her, which would have her leave home, with nothing but the clothes on her back, her spear, and her Janarim. She also had covered her own hands in blood. She had fought back to save herself and to save her janarim. It had been kill or be killed. At least I don’t have to worry about my determination to survive. She thought, trying to make the best of the situation, if that was even possible. She laughed a hollow laugh out loud, and Iska stopped to look at her with sad eyes.
"Sorry Iska... I'm trying to be positive, but I just don't feel right..." Iska groaned at her and pressed on, obviously not satisfied with her answer. How much longer would they have to travel? Her stomach protested loudly. Or was that Iska's? She couldn't tell, but one stomach groaned in reply. "Oh... I guess we should stop for some food.” She sighed. "At least I had thought to get us some supplies.” She was a total mess and she knew it. At any moment she felt like she could cry, and not stop until every ounce of water was gone from her body. A bit dramatic I suppose, but it does well to describe how I feel. What will I do now? Her stomach growled in response. Right, food would be a good place to start... Can't think on an empty stomach. She looked around. It looked like a good place to stop and rest. They could break out food here and maybe take a moment to catch their breath. Iska probably was exhausted from all the traveling. She wasn’t just pushing herself to her limits, after all, she was also pushing Iska by walking days on end.
"Iska, I'm sorry... It's my fault you're in this mess." He only grunted and glared, as if to say ‘if it weren't for you, I'd be dead.’ "Right... I just-" She hung her head, “I just can’t seem to get ahold of myself can I?” She smiled faintly as the janarim butted his head against her hip. She had to get herself together, if not for her but then for Iska at least.
He after all was all that she had left. He was her companion and guardian. The girl’s gaze glimmered before she reached into her satchel and pulled out an old blanket, “I suppose we can call this a picnic.” Not the best situation for one, but might as well. Spreading out the blanket Serana did manage a quiet giggle as Iska tried to stop her from spreading out the corners, “Hey, this isn’t some game!” She swatted a playful hand at the eager janarim who was attacking the corners as she moved them. He was still such a pup at times!
As she spread out their remnants of food Serana watched the janarim eat. At least he still had a good appetite. That was a relief. She truly didn’t know what she would do without Iska in her life. If not for him then she probably would have collapsed along the way. Smiling thoughtfully the woman reached out a hand so that she could rub his head, “You’re the best Iska.” Serana laid her head against the janarim’s strong back, “I hope you stay with me for a long time.” He was her family now after all, “I hope you don’t mind being my mount.”
The janarim seemed to just huff in amusement at her comment before laying down to finish gnawing on a piece of hard jerky. Serana let out a soft laugh at his reaction, “Alright then I guess that means you’re okay with being my mount. That’s good.” She didn’t think she would want it any other way. If she had to be a rider then Iska definitely had to be her mount. She couldn’t imagine having such a bond with any other familiar.
Nope, never.
[WC 1218]
Stage 2, Solo 2 – Plans and Chores
It was another early morning living at the Sanctuary. While to foreigners the changing of the seasons wasn’t always so noticeable with the constant snow of Zena those that were native to the region did notice it. Before when she was higher up in the mountains Serana would enjoy how the snows seemed to only linger as a dusting on the grounds while in the winters it was hard enough to make it outside without being drowned in snows some mornings. The closer she got to the borders of Zena the more the seasons stood out. At the sanctuary Serana noticed flowers blooming and trees flourishing in the lower forests. It was pretty. She giggled as she reached down to touch one of the blooming bell flowers. It was like a piece of art with the way the frost glimmered on the pale violet petals. “So pretty, right Iska?”
Glancing over her shoulder the girl smiled happily at her janarim. He just snorted in reply before lowering his snout to sniff at the ground around them. Ever since Serana had ran away from her village the janarim had seemingly taken a guardianship over her. He’s so protective. Even here where she felt safest the familiar was still constantly wary of strangers. But Serana was also wary of them. That was why whenever Talisia told her that another visitor was planned to arrive with their injured creature that the girl opted to do some outside chores. She couldn’t risk anyone coming here that would know of her family. I can’t let my parents find me, not yet.
What if they could find her here? It was like a floodgate to her deepest worries. The thought circled her mind several times over, and nonstop many other nights before, only to stir even more questions about her situation. At times, she would imagine it was some bad dream and try to pretend that she was simply on vacation away from home, but then the harsh reality would come back. Someone, maybe even her parents, had hired an assassin to kill her, which would have her leave home, with nothing but the clothes on her back, her spear, and her Janarim. At least riding is like breathing for me now... She thought once more, trying to make the best of the situation. A hollow laugh escaped her throat and Iska stopped sniffing at the ground to look at her with sad eyes.
"I-I'm sorry Iska... I’m just thinking about things again…I know I should stop.” Iska groaned at her before continuing his investigation of the ground. He hated when she did this. But it was just so hard for her to stop thinking about things. While living with Talisia had helped her to adapt to the changes it didn’t stop these moments from occasionally happening. Serana just had to take a deep breath and then realize that everything was okay. She was okay, no one would find her here, and she was growing stronger by the day. Most days were helping out with the animals, helping within the manor (especially with meals since everyone enjoyed her cooking, especially Talisia whose best recipe was a mystery stew), and then training. Training to master her lance, herself, and even riding on Iska. She would become a great rider yet and then when she was ready she could charge in and fix things. She just needed time, time to learn and grow.
She also needed to find Rhag’na. The girl’s lips pressed into a fine line as she thought about her recent encounter with another of the brotherhood. It seemed that she wasn’t the only one in trouble. Both he and Tryston had their own issues to deal with. Or rather had. Just the thought created another hitch in her throat. How was it that Tryston, one of the strongest men she knew, was dead? I refuse to believe it. But Rhag’na wouldn’t lie to her, would he? Serana took a deep breath to calm her racing heart, “I just need to find him again and truly see what is going on.” If the brotherhood was corrupted then the world was in some peril. Her village council, the brotherhood, and what else? There were so many things to sort out, so much to fix. Such realizations only fueled her desire to get stronger. Stronger so that she could meet up with Rhag’na and put a plan into motion. They had to free their home and make things right again! She had to stand her ground and make Tryston proud. His memory would fuel her actions along with her desire for justice.
But she had chores first. Sighing Serana wiped her eyes free of the tears. Nothing could happen immediately so she just needed to be patient. At least I have a place to stay now. At the thought Serana smiled softly as she crossed through the fields with Iska. Keeping herself busy was a good way to help her with this waiting game. I’ll just get to the stables and work off some of this extra stress. It would be a good warmup for her before she went riding with Iska.
The stables were only a short walk from the manor and followed a winding stone path that cut through flat areas where mammu and other animals could roam. Nearby she could hear the rushing of water from the stream that cut through the lands and ran down the cliffs dividing Zena and Sauti. It was a nice walk and a great place to practice when she rode Iska. Even now she glanced over at the janarim who was happily pouncing through whatever snow he could find as they walked along. There were some piles from when they had cleared the path last week after a nasty snowstorm, but now that the sun was back and the weather warmer the piles were quickly diminishing.
Splat! Giggling, Serana raised a hand to hide her smile as the beast attacked another pile of snow, “Good job, Iska.” She could only shake her head. So much for the ferocious beast from Oba. It was nice though that he could be so playful still. He always seemed to know the best moments to do something silly. Even when she felt as if she had no laughter left Iska found some way to amuse her. Perhaps she could learn a bit more from him. At least he can pounce well. Serana let out another laugh before she spotted the stables.
Ah, there it was. A huge stone building that housed a variety of creatures. Anything that was injured was often kept inside so that they could recover in peace away from the trials of the wild. Time to get some chores done. Reaching her hands up Serana pushed against the huge wooden doors. Inside was a huge stone hallway with long stalls lining up on either side. Some could think that the stalls were for giants with how high they reached the ceiling, but it was to give air and room to those resting inside. There was also a forge outside that connected to the building to heat up the inside. It was still basic, but enough to help out. Because of that it was just enough to make the temperatures a little more bearable during the coldest of nights.
Then there were also blankets and straw for the stalls. Currently Serana was going around to gather some of the older ones so that they could be replaced with fresh bedding and blankets. Smiling she laughed as a familiar beak nudged her for attention, “Shyam.” The girl reached up so that she could rub against the Xaraan’s head affectionately, “Just want a treat, don’t you?” The bird clicked its beak while seemingly nodding. The reaction caused Serana to giggle before she finally consented to reaching into a pouch and tossing out some snacks for the familiar, “There, there.”
As Shyam had his treats Serana focused more on refilling water for all the creatures. Thankfully there was also a well near the building so the girl could easily run back and forth with a wooden bucket. And then came some extra straw and food for those who needed it. Serana smiled as she reached over to ruffle a young raptrix’s head, “Good boy.” He was another young one that was here healing after a stumble down the cliffs. Serana had never seen so many raptrix until coming here since Talisia seemed to be a popular choice for those needing a healer for their familiar. This guy was an energetic pup who tried to bounce around despite having his leg in a cast.
Speaking of that, it was time to give him medicine. Serana smiled at the baby and broke a treat in half. She tucked the medicine into one half, and put them back together. The result was an odd looking treat, but she took a few more in her hand and fed them to the raptrix. Hide them away in the treats, and he will unknowingly take his medicine. It was one of the oldest tricks, but it always worked with this pup. She held her hand up to his mouth, and as he ate the treats from her hand, he tickled her palm licking up the crumbs, making her giggle a little. "Now, now, my hand is not a treat, silly." She pet his head again before standing up.
“I think that’s it. Ready Iska?” Serana whistled and rubbed her fingers along the head of her janarim as he came alongside of her. Strange how quickly and easily chores went now. At first she had taken almost a whole day just trying to figure out things around the stables. She was thankful that she had others who taught her well and that helped out whenever they could. And maybe I can get the twins to help more in the future as well. She thought teasingly before closing the doors behind her.
At least it was all finished. Opening a bag that was hanging at her hip Serana reached in and grabbed a piece of fruit. She had gotten up before breakfast today and so her stomach was happily reminding her that it was time for a snack. Biting into the juicy piece, Serana could only let out a soft hum before tossing some treats towards Iska. As they ate the girl just took a moment to rest and to enjoy the nice weather. It was only slightly chilly and there was no wind to bite her skin today. It was perfect for training. “Ready to get a good run in?” She smiled at her mount before getting on his back. Now that chores were done she could get in some training. She had a whole day to herself now and she was determined to use it! It was such a nice day after all and she was not one to waste delightful weather such as this.
It was time to ride.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ When she got home it was dark out. Everyone else was gone from the dining hall, but Serana was alright with that. Both she and Iska had worked hard today and she was ready for a good rest. Though at the thought her stomach let out another sound of protest, “Ah. I guess some pieces of fruit and nuts aren’t enough to really fill me up.” She admitted sheepishly before noticing her familiar’s own grumble, “Yeah, I guess it’s not too late to eat.”
Walking into the kitchen Serana was surprised to see a kettle on the fire. No wonder her stomach had made so much protest! How could she ignore the smell wafting in the air from the bubbling soup? It was above a small flame and it looked like it had only recently been hung on the crane above the hearth. Who? Serana tilted her head in curiosity before reaching out for a note on the counter.
Another late night? We figured we would leave you something to eat when you came home. Make sure you eat it and the bread! You’re tiny enough as is we don’t want you floating away on us~
Of course. Flushing Serana waited a bit more before getting the soup from the fire and into a bowl so that she could eat it. As she brought her food to the table Serana yawned. She was exhausted from all that riding. It was a good thing that they left her this soup then! “I suppose I better eat up now.” That said Serana shoved a spoonful of soup into her mouth after blowing on it. The carrots and spices blended well with the taste of the meat. The meat was tender, almost melting in her mouth. "Mmm! This is delicious. Definitely a good way to end the day!" Serana was met with a big Janarim claw on her lap, and when she looked up she saw a pleading face. "Oh! I'm so sorry Iska. I almost forgot your meal," She said in a distressed voice.
She fetched Iska's salted meats and carrots, and laid them in front of him on a large plate. "There," Serana reached for a piece of fresh bread and dipped it into the broth. It warmed her stomach and made the girl sigh in contentment. Even if she preferred to eat with the others at least the meal was still delicious. She was thankful that Talisia had thought to keep it prepared for her. "Ah, that was some good soup," She repeated once more though tears lingered in her eyes.
At least here she knew that she was safe and loved. And she was going to make up for all of this! She would keep doing as many chores as possible and help out with whatever they asked. Even if it meant another interesting babysitting experience. That thought alone caused the girl to laugh through her tears. Those kids despite being a handful were like younger siblings to her. Just like Talisia was almost like an older sister if not a mother at times. Serana wiped away the tears from her eyes at the thought.
“I guess in a way I have a family after all.”
Rubbing Iska’s back as he approached her Serana shook her head, “Let’s get some rest, Iska. I’m exhausted.” It was time to sleep so that she could begin tomorrow anew.
[WC 2409]
Stage 2 - Stage 3 Growth - Beginning of the End
In this, Serana meets a face from the past and is reminded of the reason that she is living out on the edge of Zena. Despite the temptation of living in comfort and forgetting the past she instead embraces her destiny in trying to solve her family’s corruption and from this point on will be making her move to return home and to right all their wrongs.
You can’t do this! Father, Mother, please!
As she ran the hallway before her became an endless maze full of twists and turns. At first she had recognized it as the hallway from her home, but now it was changing into something completely different. Things that had been familiar were now dark and distant while her own footsteps seemingly slipped on ice rather than on the solid hallways of stone from before. What was this place? And why was she running in the first place? Such thoughts crossed her mind right before Serana finally found the edge of the hallway. But it was not a thing that she had been hoping for, no light shined at the end of this tunnel as instead the girl found herself staring into a deep abyss. When she tried to stop herself her whole body lurched forward and without any solid surface to cling to she found herself tumbling downwards, “Iska!”
The name slipped from her lips and the next thing she knew the young woman was back in the bed at the manor in Zena. What had woken her up was the heavy impact of a janarim body on her bed and thankfully she clinged to the familiar creature with tears in her eyes, “Oh Iska…” The worse feeling in the world was to be stuck in that dark maze and to be so helpless. She despised that feeling the most after all it was the reason she had picked up the lance in the first place. Never again would she feel so weak and defenseless. I will make a difference! She had told herself that so many times before yet she still couldn’t prevent the rare nightmares that plagued her like this. “So frustrating.” Sighing Serana wiped the tears from her eyes before glancing around, “It’s not even dawn, is it?” Frustration crossed her brow before she flung the covers from the bed and tossed her nightgown from her body in favor of her riding attire. Adding a fur cloak around her shoulders Serana reached over for her lance and with that was prepared to head out of her room.
“I hope you don’t mind an early morning run, Iska.” Serana smiled sheepishly towards her familiar before patting his neck, “I’ll give you a carrot as a reward, okay?” As they left the manor Serana made certain to stop by the kitchen so that she could leave out some breakfast prep for the family. She was certain that they would understand her disappearance for the day, but it would be nice to help out a little just before leaving.
I’m always thinking of others, aren’t I? Serana’s mouth curved up into a small smile, the first hint of a smile since her nightmare, before she headed outside and prepared Iska to ride. As she climbed on the lancer leaned forward, “Let’s go!” As she urged him on Iska started slowly and then started to run faster and faster. Serana held onto him as much as she could, trying to keep her legs tight enough against Iska that she could keep her balance, but not too tight that it would cause her to constantly jolt with each of his steps. Unlike before when she was still learning how to ride the girl actually managed to settle in the saddle and the two of them maintained a graceful balance of speed and comfort.
Snow and wind whipped through her hair, but Serana didn’t mind. In fact she was delighted by the feelings of the wind against her skin. Even if it bit it was still thrilling in the fact that she could imagine that she was flying. Perhaps if she wasn’t still in despair over her nightmare the woman would even let out a giggle of glee at the fact that they were moving so smoothly through the snowy landscape. Without rest they continued up the path and down through the mountain trail that separated the manor from the town.
When they did arrive Serana found herself simply perusing the stores. There were some items she could buy for tomorrow night’s dinner and those sweets looked awfully satisfying as did that pretty piece of material. She could always use a new dress considering how worn out her clothing was from all the training and hard work she had been putting in at the manor. I think...I will. Smiling the girl handled the smooth material before finding herself surprised by a gasp from nearby.
“Se-serana?!”
Blinking, Serana turned so that she could see whoever it was that had called out her name. Immediately as recognition flashed across her features the woman darted forward so that she could greet the younger ice woman, “Rhea!” She tucked a stray strand of hair back from the apprentice who she had known as a youngling before, “What...what are you doing here?”
“I could ask you the same!” The girl’s eyes welled up with tears, “I thought you had died or something! They said you had been sent to a school but had never been heard from in so long that I didn’t know what to think and things...well things got so bad back home that I had to move out here towards the country. My mama she...she was dyin’ and we heard about a healer that lived out here and helped anyone in need. So we came and have been settled here ever since. It’s nicer here, ya know? We can work with everyone and they don’t mind if you can’t always pay right away….not that it matters here since there aren’t people taking all of our money every chance they get like back home…” Her voice stumbled to a halt as she glanced up towards Serana with a deep flush blooming across her cheeks, “Sorry, I didn’t mean…”
“It’s fine.” Serana’s gaze was thoughtful as she patted the younger girl’s shoulders, “I’m glad to see you. So your mother is doing alright now? Is there anything I can do for her?” She took a deep breath before shaking her head sadly, “I couldn’t do anything back home before so I came out this way myself until the time was right. Sounds like it wasn’t the best place when you left….” The thought made her heart shatter in her chest as old wounds of betrayal, especially that of her family, throbbed at the sight of this girl. She was a reminder of what Serana had once fought for before her exile from home. Someone I should be still fighting for. Not everyone could simply leave the village after all and nor should they! Some families had roots that spread there for generations and it was all being taken away from them because of corruption! Her fingers clenched into fists at her side, “Rhea I promise that in the near future something will give. I will make certain of it.”
“Serana...I mean…” The girl’s eyes misted as she reached out to hold Serana’s hands, “I thank ya, but I’m not unhappy here though I do miss home. It’s just...won’t it be hard and dangerous? You were always so sweet to us that I don’t like the thought of you gettin’ hurt.”
It was tempting to just stay here and live peacefully. She wouldn’t have to worry about getting harmed or have to face her family’s betrayal and the pain it caused her heart. Couldn’t she just simply let those memories fade away like Rhea wanted? Rhea and her mother had come here after all to start anew, so couldn’t she? A knot formed in her heart at the tempting thoughts, but Serana shook her head once more and squeezed the other girl’s hands, “It’s what I want to do, no I need to do this.” Her mouth curled upwards in a hopeful smile, “Just believe in me okay? I’m going to do my best from now on and remember my mission.” She had gotten comfortable living with her new family, but that didn’t stop the fact that her village was in need. Even if her own family had betrayed her she still had a family within the village. The villagers had been her family and just like Rhea she had a duty to help them out. Seeing the girl served as a reminder of who she was and of how much more she had to accomplish.
As she escorted the girl back to her small house Serana mounted Iska once more, “I suppose it was bound to happen eventually.” It had been years after all since she had been home. Years to grow stronger and to plan out her next move. The thought made her glance down to the letter that was in her hand. Good timing. The news in that meant that things were about to get a bit dangerous and while the thought did scare Serana at first she found herself looking forward to it at the same time. She was determined to make change happen and now with the help of those who were to arrive in Zena soon she could be on the move again to make things happen.
[WC - 1542]
Mr Glacial
Dedicated Hunter
Offline
Mr Glacial
Dedicated Hunter
Offline
Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2020 1:15 pm
Journal - Stage 3
Stage 3, Solo 1 – Secrets of the Past
3rd of Mai, Year XX
As I lie here early in the morning long before the sun even decided to bless the lands of Zena, I can't help but think of the past. I find myself becoming more and more restless each night, unable to sleep for more than two or three hours at a time. The conflicts of the past, though resolved, often come back to me as nightmares and dreams. I did the right thing. I know I did, but that doesn't help the feeling of loneliness and emptiness I now feel. I dedicated most of my life to helping the brotherhood reform, and to helping all of my people receive the proper governing and equal treatment they deserve, but at what cost? My parents were removed from the council, and with their loss of power, so too did I lose my parents. They vowed they would return and exact their revenge. Imagine how I felt when their words plunged deep into my heart like a creeping poison. I don't worry that they might kill me or hire someone to do such, no. Maybe if I plummet further down my dark thoughts I may welcome death. No, my fault lies in my inability to help them see the error of their ways, to help them walk the path of light with me, instead of going down with the rest of the corrupt council. Is power so worth it to throw away everything that means anything to a person? To sever ties with loved ones and destroy everything that was worked so hard to achieve? I suppose it does not matter, not to them at least. How my heart broke, absolutely shattered to pieces when they chose to turn away from me during the final confrontation of the brotherhood and the council.
These thoughts run circles in my troubled mind, forcing me awake during the night sweating, angry, and sometimes crying. I try to convince myself to look forward at all that we achieved, to look at all the smiling faces and grateful elderly and playful children whose lives were made better by our actions. Trade has truly started flourishing, and so have my people, yet I am not happy. I feel so alone, but no one has noticed because I wear a mask of joy and happiness. My thoughts, no, my regrets are of no consequence to others. Why should my selfish desires of a family get in the way of these beautiful people?
I only hope things stay this way until well after my time has passed, otherwise for what do I suffer these nightmares?
5th of Mai, Year XX
I've decided to go back to my family's manor. I haven't been there since what feels like many moons ago, when I first left home with Iska at the start of my journey. When the brotherhood overthrew the corrupt council members, the land and the manor was left to me, but I never did return there. I can only imagine how empty the whole place feels, and I don't imagine it would help my clouded heart, but I have nowhere else to turn to. I dare not bother my comrades in the brotherhood with my troubled thoughts. Let them enjoy this time of peace and prosperity with the people. This is a conflict in my mind that I feel only I can fight.
I only pray that it brings me some type of solace, though I have my doubts. I am not, however, all alone. I have also decided to move Iska into the stables there in the manor. He has been my closest friend throughout my troubles, just as I have been there for his. We are partners, and together we have rode straight through the hurricane that life has put before us. Perhaps this is yet another test? Only time will tell.
When I arrived at my family's plot of land on the outskirts of the village, I noticed right away how time has ravaged what was once my home. The grass has overgrown on the path to the manor, vines now grip the gates as if holding desperately onto what they own, the bushes grew tall enough to block the sight of some of the windows on the first floor, and the fountain in our center yard has stopped flowing with moss covering the surface of the water collected in its basin. It saddened my heart to see the place in such disrepair, but I can only fault myself for not coming any sooner. I am not sure what to do with the place or myself at this time. I cried and Iska tried to comfort me, but I didn't feel any better. I collected myself and pressed on.
I was lucky to find out that the worst of it was on the outside. While there were many layers of dust and cobwebs throughout each room, there was no visible damage to the inside. I'll just have to figure out what exactly I'm doing here anyway, whether I'll be staying here for an extended period of time, or just selling the place and moving somewhere else. I still don't know.
8th of Mai, Year XX
Another night of waking nightmares. It had to have been well past midnight, for I couldn't even hear the usual wildlife outside. Perhaps nothing lived near this accursed place for they knew its history just as I do. No, that seems to be an unlikely stretch of my imagination. Since I couldn't sleep, I just decided to walk the grounds in hopes of finding some sort of peace of mind. As I wandered the manor aimlessly, I came across my father's study. He never usually let me anywhere near it as a child, perhaps because he never wanted me to find out the atrocities he committed or planned to commit. As I sorted through journals, ledgers and miscellaneous papers detailing his crimes, I found myself asking aloud, "Why?" Each document I read, brought the question to my lips again and again, each time getting louder and louder until I was practically screaming. Why was it never enough? Why was I never enough? More unanswered questions such as these plague my mind of late. I am unsure about what would even drive them to such measures. Were they really such horrible people from the beginning? No, surely that can't actually be true. Something must have driven them to become the twisted people they are now. That has to be it.
There doesn't seem to be anything else here in the manor that would help me find answers either. It felt like I’ve been here in my father’s study for weeks, searching as much as I could to find a reason. To my disappointment, all the answers I seek just seem to elude me. I’ve searched through every record, note, drawer and shelf and still nothing. Though my own dissatisfaction leads me to seek more answers, something about this study seems… incomplete. I can’t quite exactly put my finger on it, and I may even be imagining it, but I do feel like something is off. Perhaps when I have more time, I can figure this out, if there is even something to figure out. Of course, I still have the rest of the manor to nose around in. For now, the sun rises, and I must try, most likely fruitlessly, to get some sleep.
10th of Mai, Year XX
My lack of sleep has made me anxious and jumpy to say the least. I think I might actually be worrying Iska. He has been much more attached to my side than usual ever since coming here, and I can tell he suppresses his urges to run around for a while and then return to my side. Instead he walks forward at a much faster pace, and then as if forgetting himself he stops, waiting for me to catch up. Perhaps he hears me crying out in my dreams? As superstitious as that sounds, beasts tend to be much more keen to things beyond our five senses, and people don’t give them enough credit where due.
This evening he refused to stay in the stables for the night, and even though I got frustrated and tied him down, he still managed to break out after I left. While I was lying down, I heard banging on the doors to the manor, and rushed down to see what was going on. Much to my surprise, he was trying to break the doors open, and once he realized I had opened them, he rushed to my side once more. I used to let him sleep in my room, but he has grown since then, and I wasn’t exactly sure if he would fit in my room anymore. The places I was staying in during my travels certainly didn’t have room, so we had to get used to the nights without sharing a room. He didn’t like it much, but there really was nothing to help it.
Either way, for the time being, I decided it would be best if he actually stayed in my room from now on, lest something bad happen like it did those many moons ago. I don’t think I could bear to lose him, especially not right now.
12th of Mai, Year XX
I am starting to grow impatient with searching every corner of this manor. It matters not if it’s the solitude getting to me or the vivid nightmares I so frequently have, or the small hallucinations that make me double take seeing my father’s reflection in a bucket instead of my own. I grow tired of it all. I fear for the first time that I may not recover from any of this. I have not been out to see anyone from the village. Aside from the rations I brought with me, and the berries and water I go to scavenge along the edges of the manor property, I don’t care for much else in the ways of sustenance. The only reason I even eat is so Iska doesn’t worry any more than he already has. If I don’t force myself to eat, he wouldn’t either. I am by no means healthy, and though I have to try in order to be able to keep searching, I find it hard to eat anything. Nothing seems to settle well in my stomach anymore, each bite causing a sharp pain. Part of me is starting to doubt I will even make it through this emotional trauma these past events have put me through. My thoughts darken lately, stained with ideas of death, though that is probably the lack of sleep talking. After all, Is sleep not the closest we all come to death almost daily in our lives? The loss of consciousness, the slowing of our heartbeats and breathing certainly share a close resemblance. I digress.
I’ve decided to write this entry before delving into my parents’ bedroom. It is the last place I have left to search, but my mind is not whole, and these journal entries seem to keep my head focused. My thoughts seem to unscramble themselves while writing these. I honestly doubt if I came into contact with anyone that I would be able to hold a conversation, much less say anything even remotely coherent. These entries are the best thing I can produce at the moment, and should my mind perish on my findings, or lack thereof, then let it be recorded in this journal for everyone to see. At least those who care about my well being, though I’m not really sure anymore about who does at this point.
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I delved into my parents’ room only to return with a single silver key. It is quite mundane looking and small. I almost missed it whilst searching some books in a nightstand. At first the books looked normal, and yet when emptying out the drawers, almost as if an unseen force led the key to me, the book fell off the bed where I had placed it, spilling the contents out onto the floor. The book itself was nothing special in the sense of literary terms. T’was a simple book explaining Zenan law and rules on how to behave when attending the council. As irony would have it, the center of this book had been cut out in a square shape, leaving just enough room for only the key. So many emotions filled my mind as I looked these things over, and even more questions. Why was this key so important? What does it unlock? Where in this place does it fit? Does this even unlock anything in the manor? Or does it belong to some secret hideaway that no one knows about, except maybe those involved in the council schemes? While all of these questions flooded my mind, my heart thumped loudly. Feelings of anger, excitement and sadness all seemed to overwhelm me, so much that I wasn’t sure what I should actually be feeling.
Whatever the case, I know now that I need to find where this key belongs to. This is the key to my questions, or at least that is my hope. I will have to continue my search in the morning. For once I think I can sleep on this, knowing I may find answers soon. I will keep this key on my necklace for safe keeping, hidden, but close on my person, lest I have some unseen visitor snooping around the manor in the middle of the night. Ha, look at me and my paranoias. Still, I think I will go all around tonight locking windows and doors…
14th of Mai, Year XX
I don’t know what in the world happened, but I seem to have gotten some sleep. Was I drugged? No it couldn’t be. All the windows were still locked when I awoke, but it is strange that I had slept for a day straight. All the sleep I lost caught up to me I suppose. I must eat and then resume my hunt. There is no time to waste!
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I found it. I actually found where this little key belongs. Whilst snooping around the study once more, I noticed skid marks arcing away from the bookcase, cleverly hidden by a rug that rested in front of it. Their most precious secrets hidden by a rug and a bookcase. It seems silly when I describe it this way, but without the key, no one would even think to look in these places, and even then it wasn’t at all easy to find. The bookcase itself has hinges behind it, allowing it to swing open, but the weight of it on the opposite end, causes it to drag, explaining the marks on the floor. This was perhaps a design flaw from whomever had built it. After I swung it out of the way of the wall, there was an almost faceless wooden door that was made to blend in with the stone wall. There was also a very small key hole, of which I obviously tried the key I found previously. To my joy, and dread, the key effortlessly clicked, and allowed the door to push back, and slide open.
To think, all of these secrets hidden in the very place I called home. My investigation came to a halt as my stomach turned. I will be honest, I hesitated. I was afraid of what I would find in this mystery room, but I would have to face it eventually. I need to be strong and continue, but for now I would retire. The many sleepless days, it seemed, were not finished catching up with me.
15th of Mai, Year XX
I went into the mystery room. I needed all of the support I could get, so I took Iska with me. I know he can’t possibly understand everything about what was going on, but I know he understands me and my emotions. My nervousness was loud and clear, and he so valiantly led the charge into the room. To my surprise, it led down a staircase into a secret basement I never knew we had. The nights I heard skittering of small creatures in the walls may have actually been my father doing whatever it was he did in this room.
Speaking of which, I am disgusted by what I first saw, and yet also relieved. While the room held no shortage of torture devices, many of them had not seen much use, and collected much dust over the years. What in the world did my father need these for? Was my mother involved? These were more questions I hoped would be answered. The basement, I found, was composed of several rooms, actually, each holding its own surprise, seemingly unrelated to the room before it. In one room were the torture devices and tools, in another, more books and a desk, and the third room held several beds. Needless to say I was completely puzzled by what I found. Even more puzzling was another false door, this one much more obvious staring at it from this end, but leading to what looked like a sewer pipe to the outside, near the back of the manor, but far enough away that it was inconspicuous.
I searched the beds first and foremost, but could find nothing. They were exactly that: beds. There wasn’t anything special about them, but there was something quite peculiar. One of the beds looked somewhat… cleaner than the rest. I feel like someone has actually been here, and fairly recently. I must be more careful from now on. Who knows who I will run into? Since the torture tools haven’t been used at all it seems, my investigation led me to the secret study. I must read these books and discover what lies in store for me.
16th of Mai, Year XX
After hours of reading and watching my back, I have the answers I was looking for, though I am no less displeased with my findings. My parents were not the people I knew them to be. I’m only surprised I never turned out like them. Perhaps it was because they never wanted to have me in the first place. It sounds quite dramatic but it is the truth. My parents had me by complete accident, and they were every bit the vile, disgusting people they turned out to be right from the very beginning. The “sewer” entrance was for ushering in secret “meetings” with the council, whilst they hosted their parties. I won’t even begin to describe what the beds and torture devices were for. I can’t believe I dared to hope that they weren’t bad people, but deep down I already knew how horrible they were. I only didn’t know how bad they actually were until I found these atrocities.
I have half a mind to burn the entire place to the ground, but I know someone, somewhere can use the housing. Perhaps I can transform this place into a place of healing. I’d sell it to our herbalists, for they could use the space, and the fields can be used for growing important herbs needed to treat the sickly.
There is one loose end, however. There is still the matter of the person in question who may have stayed here recently. In the morning, I shall look into selling the manor and land, and then begin my journey to track down the person who’s been here. I already found some footprints leading away from the village. Perhaps they found out they weren’t alone anymore and fled. Whatever the reason, I must leave. Iska and I have a job to do, and I am determined to see it done.
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