▼ Beowulf

[Kesmi]

Class Affiliation Solo
Healer -> Scholar
[[ WC: 1578 ]]

The day threatened to downpour, the air was crisp with the scent of rain. Beowulf sat at the window as he looked out at the gathering clouds. He had taken a break from his reading, his attention wavering a bit. He didn’t know what time it was, seeing he had been locked to his book since he had woken up that day. Stretching and rolling from his seat, Beowulf set the book down on the small side table and headed to the kitchen for something to eat.

‘Finally managed to pull yourself from your book I see.’ his mother commented as she looked up from where she was working.

“Yea, the darkening skies was an indication that I might want to stop.” He said heading to the sink to get a drink. “What are you working on now?”

Beowulf looked at the clay that spun on the potter’s wheel. It didn’t look like much as his mother’s hands worked to sculpt the clay into what could probably be a vase or large bowl. He just wasn’t sure at this moment, but he was sure it would be something neat.

‘A large bowl for a baker in the next town over.’ his mother said, confirming at least one of his thoughts. ‘Also the neighbor had said something about showing you the ways of her healing magic.’

This brightened up his day even if the weather outside said otherwise. “I will head over as soon as I get something to eat.”

His mother gave a small smile as Beowulf headed to the kitchen to fix something to eat. After a sandwich, not the most exciting of meals, but it was something. Putting his plate into the sink, Beowulf headed off. He gave one last call back to his mother, he closed the door and off to the neighbor’s. The breeze had picked up as he walked the short distance from his house to theirs. A storm was indeed brewing on the horizon and the clouds stretched further overhead.

“This day just gets better.” He muttered as thunder rumbled.

Knocking on the door, an older woman opened the door. She was a bit slouched in the shoulders as if she were carrying a burden. Beowulf made a note that perhaps taking up this path was like taking on a burden. Old eyes stared back at him as she seemed to size him up.

‘So you are the one asking about magic’ she asked, her voice sounding almost distant, detached. ‘Not much of a boy, are ya? Well no time for gocking. Come in, come in.’

She turned away from the door and headed back into her house, Beowulf started to follow before stopping at the threshold. ‘Storm’s brewing, either you are coming in or staying outside to get wet. Either way the door is closing.’

Beowulf looked back at the clouds before hustling to get inside before the door closed on him. “I have read many books on magic, but…”

‘Books, Pft!’ the woman said with mock, ‘What good are books? You need to learn with your own hands.’

She appeared from a darkened side room with a bundle of herbs. As she walked past him she shoved them into Beowulf’s arms as she walked past towards another part of her house. Beowulf stumbled after her as he was a little stunned at her reaction to his love of books.

“But they are a start. Reading the theory behind magic and the arts of healing.” Beowulf went on as the woman still laughed.

‘Yes it is a start, but can only take you so far. Another can explain something only so many times and in so many ways.’ she continued as she stopped at a table that was topped with many items for potion making. ‘But you aren’t here for book learning boy. You are here to learn with your own two hands.’

Beowulf glanced at the woman as she spoke, still holding the plants unsure what to do with them. When he looked at the table he noted the grindstone, mortar and pestle that sat on one side. There were more plants hanging over the table to dry. Even bottles of already made potions were stored on a shelf overlooking the table.

“So what do you want me to do with these?” he asked, holding the plants, herbs that looked freshly cut.

‘Hm?’ she turned and looked at Beowulf before looking at the herbs he was holding. ‘Oh those, put them here on the table. We shall start you off with sorting herbs and learning what they do.’ she waved a hand to the table.

“Ah… Ok…” Beowulf did as he was told.

The lessons started with the learning of the herbs that they were working with. How they are cultivated and sorting them into bunches to be bound in twine and hung to dry. It was a boring day to Beowulf’s concerns. This had little to do with the magic he was promised, but he supposed he had to start somewhere even if it were the most boring.

“Do we get to move onto magic tomorrow?” Beowulf asked as he helped the woman clean up after a day of herb processing.

‘We will get to it in due time.’ she cautioned hin. ‘If you are in that much of a hurry, then you can find another teacher. But I can tell you this, that they won’t give you everything that you need to learn.’

Beowulf paused and looked at her, “What do you mean?”

‘Just that, yes you are learning slowly, taking one thing to learn a day. But it will sink in easier.’ she pointed out, tickling his nose with a sprig of barley. ‘You are looking to try and help those around you, yes?’ she asked, turning away once again.

“Well, yeah. In any way that I can anyways.” He nodded watching her. “But is there no faster way?”

‘There is, but is that the way that you want to go?’ she questioned, hands still working. ‘I can give you something to take your mind off things as you learn.’ She offered.

The thought of reading something to pass some of the time did appeal to him. He was a lover of books and sometimes got so lost within them that time passed without him. “That sounds great.” He beamed as she stepped away from the table and towards a bookshelf.

‘This book was passed down to me by my mother and from her mother to her.’ She explained pulling a rather worn volume from its place. The top was rather dusty as if it hadn’t seen light in many years. ‘I am going to let you borrow this book on the condition you treat it like your own.’

“Of course.” Beowulf said eagerly as he took the book from his teacher.

It was indeed really old, the cover was worn leather. A few tears and holes lingered here and there, but didn’t overly ruin it. The title was one that he could scarcely read, squinting at the faded text he turned it over to ask. “What is it called? I can barely see the title.”

‘It is called the ‘Herba Mythonica’.’ she answered, watching him as he flipped through the yellowing pages. ‘Take good care of it, that book has been in my family for generations and I would hate for anything to happen to it.’ she advised.

“You won’t even know that it had been leant out.” Beowulf said as he clutched the book to his chest. “Well, aside from it being dust free that is.”

‘Now be on your way, your lesson today has concluded.’ She ushered him towards the door. ‘But I do want to hear what you think of the first part of that book tomorrow.’ the woman said pointedly, ‘No using shortcuts to get away.’

Beowulf, still clutching the book, nodded. “Of course, though I may read more than just the first few chapters.” He admitted.

‘That much of a bookworm, huh?’ She mused, ‘If you end up reading the whole thing and can memorize the contents of that book. I will let you read the second book in that set.’

“I have been known to soak things in like a sponge.” Beowulf puffed out his chest in pride. “Also, we went all day without introducing ourselves.”

This had been a thing that never occurred to him until now. While he had known his neighbor was one that used magic to help heal and cure others. He had never gotten around to learning their name or really wanting to… Until now… He was now starting to mentally kick himself for being an a**. In his younger years he and a couple other kids always ran through her gardens. Pulling herbs and running off when she came out of her house to chase them off. Many punishments had come his way when his parents found out…

‘Laurette.’ she said simply, ‘Though you can call me Laura. And I have known you since your birth, Beowulf.’ She turned to him and smiled, a smile that made him pause in shock. ‘Now be on your way, lessons pick up again tomorrow.’

Not wanting to be told twice, Beowulf bowed his head to Laurette before turning and hastily walking from her house. Lessons indeed were coming his way, but the look that had been given to him, he knew they weren’t going to be easy…  

[Kesmi]

There and Back Again
WC: 1551

With the beast defeated, Beowulf doesn’t think that it was completely defeated. Driven off maybe, but not completely defeated. There was a chance that the Vryhx could return and he was a little terrified of that. But if a group like the one before came together again they could pacify it once again. Though with a little less fire and explosions, he could do with less of those. He was sure that he could still smell parts of his hair smoldering. Even if he had been to douse himself with a bucket or two of water. His clothing was singed in places, certainly would have to be mended or replaced at this point. As he traveled from the mountain back towards home, traveling by cart part of the way. Beowulf inspected the holy symbol that he had been given by those of the Sanctum. He had never heard of them giving others something like this… Then again the most that he had heard was that they were a more private group. A prestigious school that made those showing certain qualities into priests and priestesses.

“I certainly don’t fit that bill.” Beowulf chuckled to himself, his fingers running over the soft wood beads, glancing at the strange diamond symbol that dangled from the end. “So why…” This he mused as the cart bumped along the tree lined road.

Shaking his head, Beowulf shifted and pulled his large tome of sketches from his pack. Retrieving a couple pieces of charcoal he flipped through the pages. He stopped at the volcano that spewed from its top. It hadn’t been truly completed, but it was well enough. Turning the page to another he started drawing, bumps permitting. Drawing on the memories of the Vryhx, his hand moved swiftly. He sketched out the rough, very rough, outline of the Vryhx. Its wings outstretched and mouth open. Frowning a little he wondered why it was there to begin with. Yes he had read that it was here when the first settlers came to the island, but was this its territory and it was cranky about the settlers coming here?

“I wish I could have talked to it before attacking,” Beowulf said as he looked at the sketch. Not wanting to work more on it, the road became rather rough that he almost bounced right off the back of the cart he stowed the book and charcoal away. It was another couple of hours before reaching home.

The small village was bustling as ever, people roamed around chatting and bartering. The cart came to a halt at one of the few general stores and the lanky Yaeli stepped down from the cart. ‘As far as I am goin’ for today.’ he said as he looked at Beowulf.

“That’s fine, this is home. Thanks for the ride.” Beowulf gathered up his pack and headed towards his house. Rather, his parent’s house, he had yet to make roots for himself and get his own place. Figured there was always time for that when he had found his own purpose in life.

Along the way, Beowulf stopped at the house of his neighbor, the healer that had started him down the path he was walking. Running a hand through his hair, in an attempt to hide the blackened ends… Though his clothing and the ever fragrant smell of burnt cloth was present around him. He would have to mention something eventually he supposed. Stepping up to the door he knocked on the hardwood and waiting for an answer.

‘Back I see.’ came a voice from behind him, seems she had been out at the time. ‘So, how did it go?’ She asked, walking past him and to the door of her house.

“It was more terrifying than the reports mentioned.” Beowulf said as he watched the woman, “The Vryhx was very big, spat a lot of fire and seemed to explode when it was close to defeat.”

‘So that was the smell,’ she glanced back toward him as she swung the door open. ‘Let me guess, you didn’t get away in time and got hit.’

“I go a little close, not close enough to be physically hit.” Beowulf said as he scratched at the back of his head, “But yes, close enough that its last attempt did knock me off my feet.” He glanced away ‘Literally’ he thought this part not wanting to mention how close to death he had come to.

‘Well, at least you are here and still in one piece,’ Laurette said as she motioned for Beowulf to come inside with her. ‘Did the others work well together?’

Beowulf started speaking his story to Laurette, occasionally stopping as he was asked questions. He mentioned some of the members weren’t the most excited about working with the rest. Then there were those that were friendly and worked well together. Beowulf spun his tale of the beast and how it acted, wishing that he could have spoken with it before everyone else rushed headlong into battle. Near the end of the story, Laurette shook her head as she looked out the window they were sitting beside.

‘Seems you had a lot of fun, minus the fire and some fighting in the group itself.’ she sighed looking back towards Beowulf. ‘At least you and the other healer were able to keep everyone on their feet the best you could.’

“It was a little bit of a struggle, the Vryhx was a tough beast to wrangle.” He pulled the book from his pack and showed the rough sketch. “It was very big,”

Laurette looked at the book and an expression of surprise flickered over her face before she stood in a hurry. She stepped over to a bookshelf and started trailing a finger over the bindings. She knew that beast, well her parents, parents did. The story was told down the generations and now it seemed that the age old foe had come back. She hadn’t known it at the time she had told Beowulf to go and take a look, to help if he was needed.

‘My ancestors remember seeing such a beast when they first came to this island. It ravaged the land, burnt crops, homes and killed those that didn’t flee.’ she began as she found the book and pulled it free from the shelf. She opened the very worn leather book and started looking through the pages. Stopping on one and walked back over and turned the book around to show a faded drawing of the Vryhx. Beside the drawing was an old chipped scale. The color also faded from age, but it still held a red tint.

‘This was passed down to me when my parents passed. But the two drawings are very similar.’ she added, closing the book after a few moments, ‘It seems that the Vryhx had been sleeping until now in the volcano. I do wonder if it is truly gone now, or will it be back again.’

These were things to be pondered over as Laurette put the book back on the shelf. Beowulf was looking at his own rough sketch, he had to finish it when he was back in his room. Closing the sketchbook, he put it away before pulling out the holy symbol that he had been given.

“I was also given this by those of the Sanctum. Not entirely sure why.” He looked at the wooden thing with a small frown. “Said something about my call to the gods… I don’t remember calling to them during the fight.”

Laurette looked at the symbol, not taking it as it was Beowulf’s and not for her hands to take. ‘Seems they saw something in you. You might want to go and see them about it.’

She didn’t have any knowledge of the Sanctum, but knew that it was a holy place and that many went to be schooled. The priests that traveled around the lands teaching their own culture to others, they were from the Sanctum. Beowulf frowned even more as he looked at the item. Did he really have to seek them out to ask? Sighing he stuffed it into a pocket and stood up.

“I will deal with that later I suppose. For now I want to get out and see the land a bit.” He said, shouldering his pack.

‘I am sure it will always be there for when you are ready. Not like the building can grow legs and walk off.’ Laurette smiled, patting Beowulf on the shoulder. ‘They will be the best to answer all your questions. Perhaps you may even find something there that will catch your interest.’

Beowulf looked at Laurette as if she had three heads and was spitting fire. Perhaps that was just because he still smelt like smoke. “Do you really think I would make a good priest?” He asked in all seriousness. “I love books, yes, but I don’t think I could do their work.”

‘You never know until you try. Just think about it.’ Laurette said before Beowulf left her house to head home.

Think on it? Really? Shaking his head, Beowulf headed to his own house to go over everything once again with his own parents. It was going to be one of those nights it did seem.  

[Kesmi]

A feather for a favor
WC:

-solo here-