Welcome to Gaia! ::

Asi’wi sat on the couch of their living room, patiently waiting as his mother and father to finish speaking. He thought he knew what they were discussing, thanks to Tylik’s snooping. His brother had, excitedly, told him that father had mentioned Asi going out for his first hunt alone. His aiskala magic was getting stronger and, despite a weak start and some resistance from Asi himself, he was growing more used to it. He’d hunted with his brother and father a few times, each one being successful.

“But he’s too young.” Asi heard his mother’s voice.

“I was only a year or two older than he is now, Kele.”

“That’s different.”

The conversation faded and Asi frowned, wanting to hear more of what was being said and decided upon. He slipped down off of the couch and tip toed his way over to the opening that lead into the kitchen. As he peeked around the corner, his father pulled his mother into an embrace and kissed her cheek. As Dasan pulled away, his gaze flicked over to where Asi was sneaking and he raised an eyebrow. “Looks like we have company, love.”

“Asi’wi.” Kele smiled sadly as she pulled away from her husband and went to her son. She kneeled and tugged him into a tight hug. When she pulled back, she spoke again. “You don’t have to, if you don’t want to, you know?”

Asi looked at her, confused. “Don’t have to what?”

“Your father thinks you’re old enough to go out on a hunt by yourself but y—”

Kele was cut off mid sentence as Asi’s gaze jerked up and to his father. “Really?!” At his father’s nod, Asi couldn’t hold back the grin that spread across his lips. “I want to do it!” His gaze went back to his mother and this time it was pleading. “Pleaaase. I want to go. Please, please, please?”

Kele sighed, having already knew what her son would choose to do. “Yes, you may go, Asi’wi but you must to be careful and remember the things that both your father and I have taught you. Do not go after that which is too strong for you. Promise me.”

Asi nodded enthusiastically, grin still plastered on his face. “Yes, yes. I promise!” He threw himself at his mother, arms wrapping around her neck and squeezing in a tight hug. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” Before either of them could say another word Asi was pulling away and running up the stairs to gather his things together. He was excited to finally be able to go off on his own. His magic was getting stronger and though he had not exactly chosen his clan himself, Asi was excelling at the spells associated with it and learning from one of the best aiskala dovaas he knew; his father.

Before setting out, Dasan took Asi aside and went over everything with his son. “I’ll walk you to the gate and I’ll wait there until you come back.” He dug into his satchel and pulled out a small wooden amulet with runes carved into it. “Keep this close. If you get into trouble, activate it and a spell will send magic into the air, bright enough for me to see, and I’ll come for you.” He placed the amulet into Asi’s hand and closed his fingers over. “Promise?” Asi nodded and after some last minute hugs and kisses from his mother, the two of them set off for the gate.

The trip to the gate and listening to his father repeat what he had told Asi back at home seemed like it took hours. Asi nodded more, agreeing to his father’s conditions before finally being allowed to step outside of the gate and into the wild. By himself. Asi beamed, chest puffing out in pride as he trudged through the snow. The cold Aisko air not even chilling him in the least. That, at least, was one good thing that had come from the accidental breaking of one of his brother’s aiskala orbs.

As such, Asi found himself lowering the hood of his heavy cloak and letting his hair fly loose in the wind. He wished that he could free himself of more clothes but he had no where to keep them and had he tried to leave the house with less on, his mother would have thrown a fit. Maybe would have even changed her mind about allowing him to hunt by himself. So Asi had bundled up, much was the norm, and had placated his mother.

Asi pushed through the snow, using his aikala magic the best he could to clear himself a better path. The weather, for now, was seemingly still and had been for quite some time. They had not seen a bad storm since the two strangers had arrived almost on their front door steps (or at least on the city’s). The snow had fallen, but nothing like those days. He explored, practicing his magic along the way, for what seemed like hours and was just about to give up when he heard something off in the distance. Tilting his head, Asi wondered what could possibly be making such a noise. It sounded nothing like any of the things he’d hunted with his father and brother and it had him horribly curious.

So he set off in the direction of the noise, not even thinking twice that it could be much stronger than he would be able to handle. As he moved forward, and the noise grew closer, Asi slowed his movements, taking each step carefully so as to not make any unwanted noise. As he crawled up a small embankment of snow, Asi peeked over and eyes widened at the sight. Tumbling and rolling around in the snow were five, small vollox younglings. Though they were small, fluffy and seemed to be harmless, Asi had read about how vicious the older ones could be when threatened. They had very sharp teeth, from birth, and they could grip with their (sharp) clawed paws and rip into flesh easily.

Despite this knowledge, Asi still decided they would be a good first hunt. It would have to do, anyway, as there weren’t many other, weaker creatures on the icy continent that was Aisko. Asi knew he would even, likely, have to travel off of Aisko if he wanted to get his orbs to advanced to the next stage in his training. Aisko was lacking in the forests required to run across a ysali dragon.

Asi watched the vollox for a while, trying to plan his move. He moved to shift his weight and his hand slipped in the snow. Caught off guard, Asi went tumbling, head first, down the snow hill and coming to a stop flat on his back. The commotion drew the attention of the five vollox and they paused in their play. Asi heard one hiss as he scrambled to right himself. He came face to face with five very upset vollox younglings, most of which were baring their teeth. Asi pushed himself up just as one of them lunged at him. He stumbled backwards, magic flaring out and sending spikes shooting out in front of him.

The vollox curled up, scaled tail wrapping around it’s body for protection and crashing through the icy spikes and heading straight towards Asi. He jumped, just barely dodging the attack and landing, again, in the snow. He winced at the shrill sound the vollox made and froze in place at the sound that answered them back — something much deeper and much bigger sounding. Asi swallowed as a larger vollox — the little ones mother, maybe — came into view.

Asi scrambled backwards at the sight of the larger vollox. It’s sharp teeth bared as it stalked towards him. He turned and stumbled as he pushed himself up and shot out into a run. He fumbled, trying to reach in his pocket for the amulet, his father had given him, but he failed at grabbing hold of it — his fingers shaking too much to get a good grip at anything. So he ran in the direction that he hoped the city to be in.

Asi painted as he tried to grip the amulet again, glancing back just as he pulled it out and muttered the words to activate it. In his distraction, he stumbled, falling face first into the snow and rolling a few times before landing face down. He curled up, bracing himself he was sure to come. When it didn’t and all Asi heard was his father clearing his throat, Asi uncurled from himself and glanced up. Dasan raised an eyebrow as he glanced out past Asi and the vollox scampering away with her children.

“I take it the hunt didn’t go well, hm?”

Asi pushed himself up into a sitting position and stared at the snow below him, pursing his lips. “Stupid beasts,” he muttered as he punched at the snow, sending small spikes of ice shooting up around his fists.

Dasan tsked at him and shook his head. “We’ve all failed at some point, son. Come, let’s go home. You live to fight another day.” Dasan chuckled as he helped Asi to his feet and led his son home.