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 Posted: Mon Dec 08, 2014 5:48 pm
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Bastion of Flame
Squires' Finale - Part 1
The Avalon fairy trainers waited patiently in line as the summoned Squires responded to the call. Only after all of the Guardians' chosen had arrived did Professor Asatira clear her throat anxiously and move forward, hovering in mid-air as she unrolled an official-looking parchment.
"I had hoped that we would be preparing you for your final test at this point. However, this is no longer the case. You have all been summoned here to receive a very important mission from the Guardians instead. I will read the details aloud to you first, then after we have said our own words, you will be dismissed to prepare." Without another word of her own, the professor's eyes turned towards the document and she began to read aloud:
The time has come.
You have trained long and hard, facing challenges familiar and unknown, time and again proving the strength of your faith, your minds, and your bodies. The greatest challenge still lies ahead.
As you were informed, two of the Guardians' faithful have disappeared while on tasks for the City. Our own Knight Lord Andrei is also missing. They have not merely disappeared, but were taken. Dark forces that are conspiring against the faithful of the Light have taken them, and our sources lead us to believe that they were taken into the Dark Forest and are being held captive there.
Deep in the dark forest on the isle's southern region lies a fortress. It is the source of darkness and corruption that has taken not only the immediate forest, but seems to be expanding to other regions of the isle. It is also suspected that this may be the source of the heretics' dark magics. No normal Pae'il could hope to reach the fortress, let alone explore its depths without succumbing to the corruption. Proceed carefully through the forest, being wary of the beasts within, cleansing what darkness you can along the way if you so choose. Conserve your strength, however, for the fortress is sure to be far more dangerous than the forest ever has been. The trial may be great, but you have been chosen and trained for this task and many others to follow when you succeed.
Upon reaching the perimeter of the fortress, you will need the tokens of protection that you were asked to collect previously. These tokens will protect you from the traps set at the entrance by the heretics to prevent your entry. This is the only knowledge you will be given of what you may find within. Once you have entered the fortress, it will be up to all of you to investigate, find any information on activities of the heretics in the area, and proceed to the fortress' center. With the Light's blessing, may you find the missing faithful within.
You have been trained to operate as individuals as well as a group. As you know, however, not all of you will ascend to become Knights of the Order of the Light. Some of you may not survive this mission. Though you may need to work together to accomplish this task, keep in mind that those that will ascend will do so because of their individual efforts.
Of the task itself, be wary, but do not fear. You are our champions, specifically selected to represent our wishes here on the isle. Remember all that you have been taught, prepare yourselves for your journey, and go with the blessings of the Light.
- The Guardians
Upon finishing the proclamation, Asatira re-rolled the parchment, tucked it under her arm, and promptly planted her fist over her heart and bowed to the Squires. "It has been a pleasure and an honor to serve as your teachers and instructors. We could not be more proud of all of you, however, from this point forward, we are no longer your trainers. There is no more that we can teach you that we have not already. When you have prepared for the journey, you leave here for your final trial as mere Squires of the Order of the Light."
Hania zipped forwards next, mimicking the bow. "Be strong, my fighters. The journey will be hard, but you have trained for this. You have more strength than you know; and the wisdom to know when to use it."
Tansa nodded to her fellow Trainers, taking the lead. "You go with the Light, into the Darkness, young ones. To bring Light to those who are lost and afraid. Do not fear, for you are the hope and the strength of the future."
Aisa was the last to step forward, hands clasped before her, hidden by her sleeves where she wrung them anxiously. "Whatever you do, young ones...be careful. Keep calm and keep your heads...and watch out for one another. And return here safely when your task is done."
As Aisa fell back in line with the other Trainers, there was a moment of uncomfortable silence for the missing member. After a moment, Hania stepped forward again and added, "And as Andrei would say if he were here, 'Don't die!'" He crossed his arms over his chest, ignoring Aisa dropping her face into her hands behind him. "Now, get your gear, finish your preparations, and move out, Squires. Take care on the trip. The forest is dangerous, but we need whatever stealth we have. If you decide to fly instead, keep low over the trees. Don't forget what you've been taught. Your sword and shield, as well as your healing and Taint cleansing abilities will be invaluable on this mission. They are the tools to your success. And don't forget your protection tokens!"
**********
((The Squires' final trial has come, and instead of a test in the classroom, they face a real, dangerous mission with lives on the line. This is what they were trained for.
Squires will be given a map with a meeting point marked within Dragnid Forest. They will make their way to this point and wait for the next prompt. They may take any path they wish and may run into trouble along the way. Keep in mind, that the normal level of hostility in Dragnid Forest will seem oddly lessened...only minor creatures getting in their way, if any...as if the larger, more ferocious beasts had pulled back, allowing them entry...
The final trial will be broken up into several parts and spaced out so it will not be overwhelming. The first part will include an activity check. As a reminder, as part of the agreement of the Squire/Knight contest, any of these characters that are deemed 'inactive' will not survive. Any Squire who does not respond to this prompt when it is posted (and it will be obvious) will be deemed 'inactive' and killed. This is the last warning for any who have let their Squires go inactive. This will be final and irreversible.
The meeting point is a stone archway with a broken courtyard in horrible disrepair beyond. There is a shimmering film over the archway, with an iron fence rising into the low, thick canopy above. The sole entrance seems to be this archway, but all Squires must assemble here before proceeding. The next prompt will follow on Dec. 10th.))
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Posted: Mon Dec 08, 2014 11:03 pm
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Listening carefully to the mission briefing and the words of encouragement that followed, only when they finished did the angel's expression change. Her frown deepened, brow furrowed. No more training, no more practice...now the stakes were serious. Without a word to her fellows, Lailah slipped away quietly, her thoughts on the mission to come, but also elsewhere simultaneously.
Upon reaching her room, the first bundle removed from her foot locker were the protection tokens they'd been sent to gather. Unwrapping the folded canvas she'd stored them in, she stared down at the four objects on the bed. This was what all the work had been for. Four seemingly insignificant little trinkets. She'd not understood why they'd had to gather such things at first. Perhaps, given what they'd just been told, these items held more magic than they appeared. However, until now, she'd spent far more time in meditation and contemplation than she normally would. And she thought she'd found some other meaning in the objects; meaning in the quests to attain them.
Clearly, the Guardians had wished her to learn something in each of the tasks.
Taking the tokens, she headed down to the armory to finish her personal preparations. Dragnid...a dark and cursed place. With no idea what they might meet at its center, she would have to go on instinct. This was a secretive mission. They needed the element of surprise, the potential to slip in and gather information and if possible, find the captive faithful without being caught. She needed to be quiet, stealthy, but retain freedom of movement. That meant she'd primarily outfit herself in leather armor. Dark, to keep herself shielded from eyes in the dark forest. It meant minimal protection when compared to the heavy armor available for sturdier fighters, but it also meant she retained her natural speed without being weighed down. She'd take a metal breast plate, and two bracers to protect her arms. That was all the metal she'd allow. In armor.
Into each leather boot she pulled on, she slid a concealed straight knife, her normal reverse fighting blades finding their home on her thighs in easy reach. Maybe a couple more blades for good measure in strategic locations.
Finally, she returned to the tokens. She eyed each thoughtfully, then reached for them one at a time. The Faun coin, laced on a cord, she held it up to the light.
While it may seem easier, violence is not always the way, nor should it be the first option if there is another.
Like a memory, a dull throb seemed to pulse in her forearm, then fade as she dropped the coin around her neck. The shell cup was lifted next, the delicate edges touched by her finger tips.
Even heretics may be capable of selfless acts. Perhaps they are not all lost causes.
Tucked gently into a pouch at her waist, the shell cup vanished. The sword was lifted, and as she tied it to her belt, she thought to herself about the trip up the mountain to retrieve the air token.
I must have faith in my comrades. When the time comes, I must remember that they have strengths I may not know. I must trust them to support me.
It was a challenging lesson to learn. Especially for one with such a solitary nature and the difficulty in leaving such complete trust to others. Of course, learning the lesson and living it were two different tasks. To be honest, it was something she was still working on...she had a long way to go and she knew it. Then, she took the stick, puzzled for a moment over it, then shoved it into a pouch at her leg.
And sometimes, when you need something done...do it yourself.
Alright, she may have struggled with figuring out that last lesson.
After a quick stop by the kitchens for some basic rations for her pack, she was mostly ready to go. Out by the main gate, she waited for a certain little red striped demon. She may have preferred working alone for the most part, but even if discretion was of high priority, she didn't feel like heading down into Dragnid Forest alone was very smart either. If anything, she'd allow one other to keep eyes on her back while she traveled.
And if there was one thing the little demon was good at, it was being eyes in the sky.
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Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2014 6:50 am
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 Harveer listened, quietly contemplating why the faithful that had been chosen for a task had been taken. And then, they were missing one of their instructors. These Avalon who had cared for him and his comrades since they were little. That fact stung. The heretics weren't going to get away with this, not if he had it in his power to help rescue those in need.
It was with a heavy heart and a determined mind that Harveer returned to his quarters, tears welling in his eyes. He would miss those around him, but there was a mission to be done. The angel took a deep breath, steadying himself and calming all those errant emotions. He needed the tokens of protection they had all worked so hard to gather. A quick glance about told him the area was safe enough to break into their hiding place.
Moving as if he'd done it a hundred times, Harveer reached to the ceiling above his bed, pulling out a poorly wrapped, and quite lumpy, bundle of items from a ledge that was hardly noticeable if one wasn't looking for it. Knowing how lightly they'd be traveling, and the importance of sustaining himself, he unwrapped everything, careful not to disturb any of the trinkets he'd gone to great lengths to attain. The pale angel tucked them into various folds of the sack he would be carrying with him, double checking each of the items as he went.
By the end of his packing, Harveer's head was in the game. He, no, all of them were needed to do this mission. He could afford to be emotional about any of it, and The Guardians deserved better than a teen who couldn't hold himself together long enough to carry out their wishes. Turning a grimace into an easy smile, he slipped into the kitchen, taking some rations with him. They would be appreciated in the days to come, regardless of how he was traveling.
Tonfas tucked into their holders, a blade concealed within his satchel, and everything he could carry without tiring too quickly, Harveer headed to the main entrance. He would wait, wait and watch to see if any others were traveling alone and perhaps join with them. He figured it would be better to travel in a pair rather than alone, especially since he was only a highly trained teenager. Other pae might find that suspicious, and there was always safety in numbers. His golden eyes searched the area, looking for any sign of his comrades going alone. |
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Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2014 8:38 am
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 Genesis had known this moment was coming. Things had been getting more intense for a while, and when the notice was posted about the missing pae... Genesis had spent most of her time, after retrieving the tokens, in books and notes from her classes, she was expecting to be tested on these things. When the notice was posted, her focus switched more to practicing the more physical skills. There hadn't been much time to prepare before they were summoned. Genesis could only hope she was ready for this moment.
She had hoped there would still be a written test, these things were so important too, but there clearly was more pressing matters at hand now. Genesis closed her eyes as the letter was read, allowing the words spoken to sink deep into her.
When the note was finished being read, Genesis paused to look at her peers that surrounded her. She had grown up with them and trained with them. Being slightly more introverted, she hadn't always been close with them, but the bonds formed by recent missions were strong and Genesis couldn't help but think of the faces that might disappear from this gathering... even her own. They had struggled when they faced the taint in the swamp together, and that was minor compared to what was said to be lurking in the dark forest. Genesis could only imagine since they were going into the home of the tainted creatures. How greatly outnumbered they would be!
Her face remained expressionless as the trainers went into their words, wondering if they even expected any of them to survive. This was their life's work though, to serve the guardians, to be faithful to the guardians. This was perhaps the biggest way they could do that. Going into the base of the enemy of light, if she died, then she died a martyr, and it would wake up the sleeping pae so keen on ignoring the quiet battle going on around them.
Genesis silently went back to her room. The female paused, sitting on the edge of the bed. They were still just squires, wouldn't a mission like this be better suited for fully fledged knights? If she failed at this mission, then she wasn't knight material anyways.
Genesis took a deep breath, saying a prayer to each of the guardians:
To Madaesos, she prayed for strength to overcome both her personal obstacles and the physical ones she would likely face on this mission.
To Medea, she prayed for the health of the squires.
To Eryx, she prayed that justice would be served to those who had kidnapped the loyal followers of the guardians.
To Tabari, she prayed for knowledge to be with them in developing their tactics and strategies.
To Dylana, she prayed that the weather would be in their favor.
To Liliana, she prayed for safe travels for her and her fellow squires.
To Yara, she prayed for assistance in bringing light into this dark forest
To Roksana, she prayed for protection over the soldiers of the light, and success in battle.
To Arlo, she prayed for luck... because Guardians know they were going to need it.
When she was finished, Genesis stood up. Now spiritually prepared for the mission ahead, it was time to physically prepare. Genesis grabbed a small satchel, she didn't want to burden herself to heavily for this mission, but there were essentials. She put the tokens in the bag first, and then decided to bring some small first aid supplies. Her healing abilities were decent, if not good, but some bandages for more serious wounds could be helpful. She finished filling the bag with a small amount of food and a satchel of water. With the small bag full, it was now time for her to make a decision on armor.
There had been so many missions where Genesis had passed on armor, wanting the freedom to be more agile, more than she wanted the protection. However, protection seemed just as important as agility when going into the lair of darkness. Genesis chose some light armor, in order to maintain some agility, but still have some protection.
Last things to grab were her trusty sword and shield.
Genesis made her way out to the city, quieter then ever as she was still mentally preparing herself for this. The guardians were behind her, she had mostly moved past their failed mission, she had everything she needed to be successful. Genesis paused when she touched down on Telrunya, the island, wondering if she should wait for her fellow squires. She had learned the importance of team work during several missions, but it seemed that perhaps getting to the meeting point was better done on her own: Less distraction and they could move quieter as individuals than they could as a large group. |
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Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2014 8:52 am
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Harveer was glad, for once, of his bright coloring. He'd been blending in with some flowers, one last chance to see them. It was while he was leaning into them that he noticed Genesis heading off on her own. The teen smiled to himself, shaking his head. She was always a loner, but the few times he'd been out on a mission with her, she had been an amazing teammate. A lot better than he was, that was certain.
Thinking about it for only a moment, he took off after the girl, landing a little away from her.
"Genesis?" Harveer called, walking towards her. He still thought it was a good idea to go in at least pairs.
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Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2014 9:26 am
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 He had known this moment would come.
Of course it would. It had not passed his notice that Malek, the young faithful he had met moving into the City, was now missing. He also knew from what he heard from around that another faithful, an older angel, was missing. Taken. That much could not stand. As knights, their task was to defend the faithful, act as leaders and protectors the others could look on in even the darkest of times.
They may have been coming to the darkest of times.
Nephi slipped away without a word, a look of determination in his eyes and purpose to his step.
"Eryx, may my needle be true."
In his room, he picked up his vials, loading them onto his belt.
"Medea, grant me good health in my mission."
The belt was clasped, and into his wardrobe he went.
"Madaesos, grant me strength and courage, even against the beasts of the darkest forest."
His armour was simple, a long coat of leather and leather and cloth padding underneath. He functioned best in the shadows and unnoticed. The less clunky, the better. The tokens were tucked away in internal pockets, the sword an exception, holstered.
"Tabari, grant me wisdom to protect and serve, to plan and understand."
Nephi looked at himself in the mirror, making sure his helmet was correctly positioned.
"Dylana, may the environment be ever in our favour."
He returned to his supplies, picking up a short blade, almost like a dagger. Carefully, he slipped it into its holster on his belt.
"Rokshana, may our blades be true, our bodies protected."
A pause.
"And Liliana, may we never need our blades."
He glanced over his belongings one more time, choosing to add a few more supplies, in case they were needed to make more vials.
"Yara, grant me your light."
He packed some rations, a blanket, and general emergency supplies.
"And Arlo, bless us in our task."
With that, Nephi left, moving to head towards the Isle. This sounded like a task that needed discretion. He had always functioned well on his own, and it was no different this time. He would go to the rendezvous point in the most subtle way he knew how... and he would not waste a second. |
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Codebreaking Conversationalist
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Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2014 9:53 am
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He was moving with her as she stepped forward. This behavior wasn't anything new to him, and they were in a bit of a hurry to get to the meeting point. "As prepared as can be." He shrugged, keeping pace with the female to his side. They didn't have too much to talk about right now, he just wanted to make sure that she was alright with him following along side her.
"We'll be less noticed as a pair, or at least we'll have a good excuse to be out and about near the forest." He frowned a bit, not wanting to think about the evils that were within. The heretics were almost the lesser of the two evils right then. With the last comment though, Harveer quieted. He didn't even pause his thoughts to admire the way the sun glinted off her hair, or the way her figure looked covered in the light armor that she'd chosen, though it was something he very much wanted to do, this was far too serious.
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Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2014 10:30 am
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"I suppose..." Genesis said thoughtfully, her voice now dropping to a whisper as she thought about how close they were to the tree. They would not be a welcome presence by any of the faun, that's for sure. "You might be right about that, but it is also important to stealthy which might be better accomplished on one's own." Genesis shared her concern. Fearing it would dishearten the other squire, she added more. "It is probably beneficial to travel together, until a circumstance comes up that will require us to separate."
Genesis continued walking, but grew silent as she thought about how much more attention they would draw if they flew. It was certainly faster to fly... but also easier to spot, even if they stayed below the canopy. It was still fairly clear where they were walking at the moment, so flying was not an option right now. She began walking faster, wanting to get to ground with a bit more coverage and further away from the tree. The faun were a threat as long as they were outside of the dark forest. |
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Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2014 10:58 am
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"I am certain we will." Genesis replied, her voice unwavering. Was it better to go into this mission thinking the best, or thinking the worst? Genesis had no idea, but she knew that at least for Harveer it was better to tell him that they would. If he was distracted by the thought of not seeing her again, it would probably get him killed. Genesis' eyes dropped to the ground at the thought. She could already tell that traveling with a companion was proving to be a distraction for her, she needed to stay focused.
No words, no thoughts, she tried to focus on what she was seeing. The world was clear, and seemed unnaturally still. Perhaps it was just her, and the anticipation for what was to come that made it seem so still. She could see a treeline up ahead. It wasn't Dragnid. Genesis pulled out the map, only taking a brief glance at it, it wasn't good to walk and look at a map at the same time. "We shall drop pace once we hit this forest ahead. That way we do not burn through all of our energy before we even truly begin." Genesis led, although remembering she was not traveling alone added, "If you are in agreement on this."
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Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2014 11:30 am
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He smiled, if only because he knew she was trying to do what she could to keep his head on straight. And he realized how much of a distraction it was to travel with her. His thoughts had been primarily on her, not the mission they were on. That wasn't right.
Having mentally shaken himself, he started taking inventory of what he'd brought with him. "That sounds good to me." The male agreed, not wanting to waste time, but even more to conserve what energy he had. She was far better at keeping a straight mind than he was. And back to thinking about what he'd brought with him, how fast he could bring out his concealed blade if it was needed for anything. His tonfas were at his sides, they would take next to no time at all... Such was the thoughts he carried, keeping his mind off other things that wanted to be more pressing, but were in fact, the least of his concerns.
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Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2014 8:22 pm
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 Curse this stupid useless wing. Alethea and her traveling partner, Eligor, had been out on their Guardian sanctioned scavenger hunt for what felt like forever. It had taken some time to return to the landing pad from their spot on the freezing mountain, and it was even slower going because they really didn't plan accordingly. Well, Alethea didn't, which put a strain on Eligor's supplies and rations. They were unable to hunt down a naiad with their limited time and supplies. The island was a savage and unforgiving land. Alethea appreciated the City the more she learned of the mainland and wouldn't admit to a sense of urgency to return to civilization, even if that was her goal.
When they arrived in the city, the atmosphere was very somber and melancholia. It was only through whispers heard as she made her way to her dorm room that she got the gist that loyal followers had been kidnapped by the faun heretics. She felt terrified, and wondered how much danger her and Eligor had really been exposed to, having had those two very shady faun "help" them. She questioned if the items were real of if they were given fake things to throw them off. Surely, the Guardians wouldn't have sent malevolent beings to them while on a holy crusade, right? The protection relics would protect them, right?
It hadn't even been an hour of laying in her soft, warm bed before she got the notice to appear for assembly before the trainers. She considered, for quite some time actually, just sleeping through this one. It was likely just another lecture or training exercise anyway. Begrudgingly she pulled herself from the comfort of her blanket burrito and grabbed her satchel to head to the main hall. She yawned into her hand and lifted her arm up to stretch when she caught sight of her peers. They didn't seem quite as aloof as she did; was this an important gathering? What did she miss?
---
Following the note from the Guardians, Alethea's heart sank. Her own were taken hostage by the heathens. How lucky had Eligor and her been?! Trainees for the Order of the Light, no less. And Knight Lord Andrei? How had they been clever enough to capture the most clever of them all? (Aside from Eligor.)
These tokens will protect you from the traps... Well poop. It wasn't just a team building exercise after all. But she knew that. Only had hoped otherwise because she didn't want to admit failure. Who knew Naiad would be hard to find on the mainland surrounded by water?
Alethea's stomach started twisting as she considered the weight of their mission. How was she going to get to the gates in the middle of the dark forest when she couldn't fly? Walking through the forest was suicide. She was scared, until she heard the final message of the Guardians' message.
"...be wary, but do not fear. You are our champions, specifically selected to represent our wishes here on the isle ... go with the blessings of the Light."
The Guardians protected her (and Eligor) from the heretics evil plot. The Guardians would protect her through this trial too. She left the assembly and immediately went to the chapel to prepare for her final test. She was an instrument of the Guardians. Not a defective failure. She'd repeated this to herself a million times over the seasons, but it didn't have full meaning until now. |
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Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2014 9:41 pm
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It had been hard to keep spirits up on the journey after their rush of good luck, growing only more difficult as the days passed and their supplies dwindled while on the isle. Eventually, they'd been forced to give up and return to the City to rest and resupply before heading out again to try to find the last of the protection tokens.
Or so they'd believed.
The somber mood that had settled over the City was disconcerting...all the more so when one learned that not long before, all had been celebrating instead.
Having parted company with Alethea for the first time in weeks for an extended period, Eligor had been looking forward to at least a couple of days of rest and recuperation on his own before heading out to the Isle again. It was not to be. The summons came not long after he'd let his head hit the pillow, and he rolled over with a groan of protest. No rest for the weary. He'd read that in a book once. He thought he understood all too well at the moment...
***
As the Squires were dismissed to prepare, Eligor held back while the others scattered. How...how could this be happening? They weren't ready! And those treacherous heretics! He nearly regretted entertaining thoughts that perhaps they were not all such lost causes. Maybe not all...but whoever was behind this, taking captive the Guardians' faithful...they may be beyond all hope of salvation.
His thoughts were spinning, whirling out of control and he realized that if he allowed this to continue, he'd never get ready to leave in time. Curse the heretics! If only they could have gotten back sooner, if they had finished their quest before returning...he would have had more time to prepare. Time to research and gather necessary intel. He'd heard about a Pae in the City who was documenting and doing research on the beasts of the dark forest. Perhaps he would have had some advice for the Squires before they plunged headlong into danger without proper preparation.
It's too late now for 'what ifs' and 'if only's, he chastised himself. The Guardians have watched over you for this long. This is just another test to overcome.
First, he had some packing to do. After that, he'd stop by the chapel on the way out to ask for the Guardians' blessings on their journey. Already, he was making a list of supplies to gather based on their previous adventures on the isle, in addition to things he knew they might need in the dark forest. Rations, water flasks, flint or other fire starters, first aid supplies, just so they didn't rely fully on draining their magic....who knew how long this journey might take...?
As he headed towards the dormitories, he began a silent, earnest prayer in the back of his mind. He felt they were all going to need it.
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