The Forever Tree [Quest Group 2]

[Deleted]

Dreams were always unusual for Ilta due the fact that she almost never had any. As a child, she could remember waking up and always remembering them. However, as she grew older, the frequency and vividness faded from them until she seemed to stop having them altogether. For a few moments, she considers it to be real. Yet, she cannot remember how she got to the forest.

The small child is speaking to her. She squats down to get on his level. “Ilta. It’s alright. It’s alright. Do you know where your mother is?” She looks around for the sight of any other person. However, the rest of the world soon disappears from sight, leaving only her and the child. She reaches for her sword. Who else was here?

There is nothing she can do as the boy gets entangled in the roots. She’s forced to take a step back as it creates a prison for him. The large white tree feels like it almost watching her. As the boy calls out to her, she runs to the side of the cage, pulling on the roots. Everything around her is breaking apart and fading. “No, what does that mean?!”

As the blackness consumes her, she jolts upright out of bed. She’s on edge and probably wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight. Getting dressed, she heads outside into the frigid air of a winter’s night. Taking a walk, she can hear them talk about… a big white tree. She can still feels its presence, hovering over her.

Her grandmother would have said it had meaning. That something was attempting to reach out to her. Ilta’s not sure if she actually believes that, but she definitely wants to put the idea to rest. She goes back inside her home to grab some supplies before heading in the forest.

The forest here was strange. It didn’t speak to her quite the same way as the forests back home. It’s as if the world itself knew she was foreign. That she didn’t belong here. As such, it tore a piece of her magical ability away. Indeed, everything about this place was unfamiliar. Despite being unsure where she was going, she walks along careful not to disturb the forest too much, trying to find the massive tree from her dream.

[Deleted]

Aria was snuggled into her fur lined bedroll, her blankets pulled up over her head as the fire crackled nearby keeping her warm. Aria did not dream; her body rested as she entered her own dreamscape. Usually she chatted with or trained with Core during this time; that or her mind would wander it sit among the other creatures of the forest. Her mind was always collecting and gathering information, it never stopped. Lately her routine was to train a bit with Core to keep her skills sharp, she found what she practiced in her dreamscape carried over nicely to the waking world. The rest of the time she was visiting and getting to know the inhabitants of the forest. Her range was much larger then I had been when she was sixteen and she liked to know who was who in the forest. She knew the different herds, packs, nests, and eventually she would visit them all in person. They all seemed quite interested in a being that was able to talk to all of them on a personal level. For Aria liked to talk about the best gathering places, or how the last season’s nestlings turned out, and other small chatter. The animals always had a wealth of knowledge to share; and with them this forest did not seem as dark as it could be. Core always wondered how she could stand being in contact with so many animals at once, while she could chat with them individually Aria also chatted with them in large groups as well; she was use to being able to handle multiple consciousness at once and still maintaining her sense of self. She was well enough accomplished now to do so without her amulet to keep her centered.

So when her dreamscape was changed she easily recognized it as being not of her own persons; something else was controlling this. Aria looked down when a small…demonic looking boy came walking up to her. Funny thing is the images that played seemed to be two toned for her, while the little one was standing in front of her behind the vision sat that same sad looking boy in a fetal position. Why was explained as the vision slowly played out. Aria stood watching with a calm but slightly concerned expression. The concerned depended when he spoke of fruit and the riddle about time. Aria at that point looked directly at the boy behind the vision. ’I get the message little one; I will come.’

When the vision faded and the warning was given, Aria did not wake up right away. Instead she expanded her conscious to talk to the animals of the forests. To at least gather knowledge of where that large white tree was located. When she had a picture of at least the direction to head in Aria awoke. She immediately went about breaking camp. She put on her boots, and rolled up her bedroll. She packed away some meat she had drying away in a small pouch, along with some seeds she had been gathering. She checked inside her large pack to make sure the coil of rope, flask of water, flint, latrine shovel, wooden bowl and spoon, small sewing kit, one small white flower, and dried food rations were all in there. The food rations included 3 soup rations rolled up in a linen ball, a package of dried meat, a small bag of rice, and some crackers. Aria took tally of everything in her travel sack, she nodded with approval and placed her extra set of clothes, aka her dress and long brown tunic, into the sack as well. After she placed the bed roll on top.

Aria herself was wearing her long dark breeches given to her by Garrett, along with the oversized linen shirt. She also wore a large sage green wool sweater; with a simple dark grey cloak wrapped around her and clasped with a copper leaf. Her hair was left down and tumbled down past her waist in soft waves; a gold chain barley visible around her neck. The large red amulet was safely tucked away into her shirt. She wrapped her belt of daggers around her waist; the sapphires in them now holding a small glow of her orange magic; giving them an eerie green glow to them. Strange ruins were also inscribed into the daggers now. Aria had taken the time to enchant them as she had been planning on doing for a while now. Aria finished breaking down her camp and doused the fire. The last thing she picked up before taking off further into the woods from her camping spot by the lake was a long wooden staff just slightly taller than she was. It was blue grey in color, and carried a good weight to it. But to her it was a comfortable weight, not to heavy, not to light. But it still held a good amount of way to it. The staff at the tip had grown and split into gnarled twisted branches that twisted around a light glowing blue gem. It was a snow gem, the parts of the branches that were around the blue gem and a bit down the staff was covered in a fine layer of frost. A chilly fog seemed to surround the crystal, and if you were near end you could feel the cold radiating from it.

Aria turned and began to hike to the main road; her nose to the air. As she neared the road she was surprised to smell a familiar scent in the air. She quickened her steps until the path came into view, Aria waved with her free hand to the familiar horned woman.

”Ilta! What brings you to the forest again!”

[Deleted]

Diamond was settling into his bed for the night and had been reflecting a bit on his time while in Nova. So far it had been a nice experience and his eyes slowly closed to fall into the land of dreams. As the white haired male slept he had a dream a very vived dream. Diamond turns to see a boy with tear stained eyes red from crying. It seemed that he was in pain or something from eating a fruit and before he could comfort the child. He was being intangled into a tree or something as roots and vines were absourbing him. As another voice spoke to him and then the white haired male violently woke up. Lightly panting as if waking up from a nightmare. Diamond gets up and goes to get something to drink, he hears two people talk about a giant white tree which got his attention. "This has to be fate, not some coquincadence" he said to himself. He goes back to his room and looks over his inventory and grabs what would be useful.

The white haired male walked into the forest taking in everything. But was not sure where to go. He continues to walk and then finds some foot prints and starts to follow them. Diamond spots Ilta and Aria, both people he had met before. "So.....I was not the only one called out from that dream. Do either of you know the meaning of the words that were said" he asked while being on guard. Since anything could jump out and attack them since they could be lower on the food chain.

[Deleted]

There are dreams, and then there are dreams. The former are just reflections of the conscious mind, but the latter are prophetic, sent by the gods or the Fates. They showed the future, or an important scene or something that had happened once, long ago. Séanait had never thought to have one, and she'd never known how you could tell them apart, but she was certain that this dream was one of the latter. She was...not conscious, exactly, but more aware, perhaps, than in a normal dream. And this felt so very different to any dream she'd ever had.

The boy was ragged, threadbare, eyes red from crying. She'd seen his like a thousand times before, always with the same apprehension. It made her heart ache to see him so. Was he the soul of one once killed, or was he someone still alive? It didn't matter. She crouched down in front of the boy and gave him her warmest, most welcoming smile.

"They call me Shy. What's your name?"

The world began to vanish then, as the boy started to whimper and cry out. Séanait reached for a weapon that wasn't there as she turned this way and that, like a trapped wolf looking for an escape. She heard his words, though, and remembered them. There would be some kind of meaning behind all this, some message warning her of danger or pleading for help. And how many times before had she wanted to help children like this boy?

Things happened all at once. The boy was wrenched backwards and up into the air, where he was imprisoned inside a white tree, impossibly growing in mid air and as large as the World Tree itself. She made to move forward, to aid the boy even though she knew it was but a dream, only for the dream to begin fading. As it faded, the boy's voice came to her once more, only this time there was no fear, no apprehension in it's voice. It was faint, but calm and collected.

And then she was awake. Séanait sat up in bed and rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she tried to collected her thoughts. The dream was important, she could feel it in her bones. She closed her eyes, trying to remember every little detail. As she thought over what she had seen and heard, she heard some men walking by talk of a great white tree and a beast. That there had been such a tree in her dream could be no coincidence. Something had reached out to her and told her to come. But were they the gods, or whoever had put the beast to guard the tree or from the child who had been imprisoned in the tree in her dream?

Below, Séanait could hear Ilta moving about, but thought nothing of it as she considered her next course of action. It wasn't until she heard the door close and saw Ilta walking towards the forest that she realised that she might not be the only one touched by the dream. Frowning, still trying to work the meaning of her dream, Séanait realised that she needed to go after Ilta. Dreams of this kind could often be interpreted in more than one way and did not always show the full picture, if the poets and singers were to be believed. The old cycles and sagas were full of men who went into battle assuming that they would win, only to be shown that the dream could be interpreted a second way. If Ilta went into the forest determined to free the child, and there was good reason for the child to be imprisoned...

Séanait dressed quickly in her armour, putting on every piece she had avaiable. She slung her shield on her back, buckled her langseax to her belt, tied a bundle of arrows to her belt and, finally, strung her bow. The night was dark, but she'd learned from the last monster she'd faced. This time she'd stay at a distance and loose arrows at it. Then, fully armed and armoured and with an arrow on her string, she left the house as quietly as possible, so as to not wake Kail. If he hadn't had the dream, then he need not be troubled by it.

She followed Ilta's trail as quickly as she dared in the dim moonlight, eyes constantly searching for any signs of danger, until she heard voices in the distance. She slowed, then, and crept up quietly, her bow held ready. As she came closer, Séanait recognised the voices and relaxed. Diamond, eh? And, as she moved into view, she saw Aria and Ilta as well. So, she and Ilta weren't the only ones in the forest because of a dream.

"Diamond, Aria, Ilta," she nodded to each in turn, "Any idea what's going on here?"

[Deleted]

A dream, a dream. Whatever could such a dream mean? Adrain had woken early in the morning after seeing the dream. Of a child tormented and imprisoned within an earthen cell. It made the Archmage feel a tang of sympathy. The child clearly had potential as a user of magic, what had forced him into this situation? Perhaps if he could be saved, if the dream was a prophecy of reality and not a consequence of mana running around in the brain, he could enroll at the academy and learn to control and find a purpose.

But as experience has taught the Archmage, things likely wouldn't be that simple if they were real. The riddle was simple enough to him, the answer one he would hold to memory in case it were some type of 'troll under the bridge' situation were an answer can resolve things peacefully.

Serai would look up at the Archmage while he looked out the window in the general direction of the forest from his room in the Arch. Tilting his head, he let out a curious growl.

"Oh Serai, don't give me that look. The 'I know you're about to do something unnecessary and dangerous' look. I have a feeling that there is something important here, either a soul to be saved or an artifact to be recovered. I may not be fond of the idea of a prophetic dream, but there is a reason for everything and I haven't risked my life actively in awhile...at least if you don't count things like neophytes trying to blow up a lecture hall." Adrain says with a chuckle. The phantom tiger covered his paw over his snout with a groan.

The preparations were commenced right away. After having arranged for some of his advanced students to fill in for him until further notice, he gathers provisions in the form of a loaf of bread infused with mana, some smoked mutton, a bag of apples, and several carefully wrapped pieces of raw meat for a certain tiger. With a canteen of purified water, a rope, a few torches and kindling supplies, compass, basic medical supplies such as bandages and anesthetics and a tent kit for what he hoped would be enough for this venture.

After packing basic supplies, the archmage garbed himself in a warm outfit of black wool, thermal pants and shirt with a thicker, water resistant black and white mage's robe over it. Leather boots protect his feet from the basic snow and ice below. He took with him a mundane, machete-like blade such to get through brush. Certainly he could use magic in that situation, but it's better always to save magic for when it's really needed and to not use it frivolously.

As he is finished with his preparations, he makes his way towards the Forever Forest at a quick pace, staying low profile as possible as he navigated from the Arch to the edge of the woods. Serai naturally followed, taking to the shadows as he usually would, invisible to the blind eye.

Approaching the edge of the woods, the Archmage stares into the dark, moonlit wood and opens his mind's eye. There was something deep in there, stirring, potent...important? There was an energy he could faintly sense...familiar. Something deep within him felt as though whatever it was, it was highly important to him.

"...I see...Serai, I do think that whatever hand is at work here may have something very curious, perhaps even answering some questions...or rather asking more. Either way, it's imperative!" he says fairly cheerfully to the tiger.

Narrowing his mind's eye, he senses a few signatures of mana relatively nearby. One familiar, the others not, the Archmage ponders for a moment whether to join the assortment but decides that if this was really some sort of divine conspiracy then they may be in on the thing as well. He casually walks towards the group, pausing along the way to take a large branch as a walking and balancing stick to jab into the snow in case of ice or some other unpleasantness.

Once in visual range, he recognizes Aria from the...incident at the Arch, two apparent soldiers, and a male whom may himself be a mage of some sort but not one that he can remember having taught at the Arch. With a touch of cautious preparation, Adrain rapidly fingers a glyph correlating to light magic in the snow behind him to create a blinding flash, should it be necessary.

"Good evening!" he shouts casually, ready to duck behind a tree should they fire a spell or arrow in his direction. "If the unseen hand has put you on the same quest, then we should make our way towards the Great White Tree, yes?"

Once he gets a sense of not being shot at, he steps into a patch of light and bows.

"I am Archmage Kaiaru of the Arch of Ages, a pleasure to make your acquaintances, and to meet you once more..Aria was it?" he says, glancing at the redhead. "Don't mind the invisible tiger slinking about, he's tame and perfectly friendly, at least assuming you aren't brigands who have my worst interests in mind."

With that, he mentally prepared to leap back through the shadows if need be, but if Aria were here and judging from how friendly she was at the Arch, then he probably was safe. Serai meanwhile lurked upon a bare branch, watching below.

[Yuki D'Avranches]

Zane's only escape from the world were his dreams, over the years he learned to control them and mend and twist them into what he couldn't have in reality. The moment he felt his dreaming changing from the happy family he wished he would have had with his brother still alive along with they father and a mother who was caring.

A little born with hair the colour of a raven's feather soon replace his brother. Looking around, he noticed that the boy wanted him to follow him. Seeing no harm in it, since it was a dream after all Zane followed him. Soon the landscape changed to a black empty void and the boy's features melted away with hair the colour of starlight and his skin dirt.

Taking a step back Zane wondered what was happening, he tried to wake himself up from this dream but failed each time. Soon the world changed again to a forest, still stepping away the boy, wanting to get as far away from the child and the dream. Any words were spoken he blocked them out, not wanting to hear them.

His eyes focus on the boy, not of his own will as he watched him be lifted into the air a white tree forming around him. Almost as if the tree was caging him away from the world, keeping his locked up. Feeling for the child having been in a situation like that, he tried to reach for him, when a voice spoke the words. "What must more forward but will never more backward? The answer will open the way."

Soon Zane was sent out of his own dreamscape, covered in a cold sweat. It was just a bad dream after all it didn't mean anything. Not being able to go back to sleep Zane quickly dressed in a long cotton dress, pulling on a pair of boots, grabbing his dark green cloak. Not sure, but decided anyway, he wrote a note to Kail in case he checked on him in the middle of the night letting him know that he went for a walk.

As he walked around the farming area for the first time really seeing it he wondered what life was like for these people. This soon stopped went he overheard two drunken men talking about a white tree in the forest and a beast guarding it. They couldn't have meant the same tree, seeing no harm in it. He made his way to the Forever Forest.

Walking into the forest he soon heard voices, deciding to follow them wondering what people were doing here. Hearing one of them mention a great white tree, he knew that he couldn't be hearing this. The second time that night someone mention a white tree.

He continues walking, towards the voices before stepping out into the opening to see everyone. "I guess I am not the only one with the same dream tonight." He spoke to all the people in the group, judging from the way they were dress he knew that they weren't of high class, then again of the way he was dress at the moment the same could be said about him. 

Giving a small curtsy to them all in greeting. "I am Yuki D'Aranches."

[Deleted]

Ilta waves at Alex as she comes down the road. “Strange dreams.” Looking at Alex, she asks, “Do you know of a large white tree in here? A tree that is… more alive than other trees.” Honestly, she still couldn’t quite shake the idea of a presence watching her. It was beginning to get disconcerting.

As Diamond joins them, she feels like her grandmother would be downright smug at this moment. “Yes, I was. And no, I do not.” she replies to Diamond’s question. She wasn’t any good at interpreting cryptic prophetic messages. The last time she got one, she ended up in a different world. Why did the gods keep reaching out to her of all people?

Evidently, Shy wasn’t too far behind her. Ilta’s surprised she didn’t notice her leave the house as well. “Your guess is as good as mine.”

Ilta straightens up as a man cheerfully introduces himself. Seeing the glyph in the snow, she frowns a little. “You wouldn’t greet someone with a hand on your weapon, would you? The same goes for readying a spell.” The gesture of doing such came off somewhat threatening. It was even more so when one couldn’t easily identify when he was trying to do.

Invisible tiger… where had she heard that before? Suddenly, she looks like something has dawned on her. She looks at Alex, “I know its a few months late, but I think I found him.” He was missing the silver mask though, and he wasn’t much like what she pictured from Alex’s description. Turning back to Kaiaru, she says, “Also, how would any of us even know that there was an invisible creature, let alone what manner of animal it might be?” She’s really hoping he doesn’t say by his farts.

She raises an eyebrow at the delicate young lady who joins them and curtsies. She could understand wanting to follow the dreams, but the girl didn’t really look like the type to be adventuring. At least, her greeting same off as more well-meaning. “Ilta Kveld,” she responds. She looks behind Yuki, “Do you think anyone else is coming?”

[Deleted]

Aria nodded when she asked if she knew of a large white tree.

’I haven’t seen it myself however I have confirmed it does exist and its general direction. I assume you were sent the vision to? I’m interested in how the little buggered managed to send so many illusions at once.”

Aria turned her head when a voice called out; she had briefly met with Mysteria at the bar. She nodded a greeting, leaning her weight on her staff. She was about to reply to his question when Aria was interrupted by yet another person she knew. Aria waved to shy and chuckled as she asked the same question that Daimond just asked.

”You know what let me riddle you all this This thing all things devours; Birds, beasts, trees, flowers; Gnaws iron, bites steel; Grinds hard stones to meal; Slays king, ruins town, And beats mountain down. Different riddle same answer.”

She would leave it at that and let the others come to some conclusion. She turned her head and waved eagerly as Adrain showed up. A deep chuckle escaped Arias throat as Ilta suddenly realized she wasn’t lying about the invisible tiger or strange man.

”I think I found him first and took me over eight years”

At the question of the tiger Aria placed her hand on the tree it was perched on and suddenly the branch would drop down low. Aria proceeded to tackle the tiger.

”SHOW YOURSELF FURRY BEAST”

Eventually Aria would be sitting on Serais back with her legs folded and her pack and staff sitting in her lap. It was during this time that another person had apparently come and introduced themselves…she didn’t know this one so Aria just waved….there party was big enough.

”More coming or not lets get this party started, ONWARD MY TRUSTY STEED”

Aria pointed out a direction dramatically with her staff.

[Deleted]

Diamond then sees Shy walking up to there group and was slightly curious as to how many others would be showing up. Like himself she was not having any idea what was going on with this dream quest. But then he heard movement and had a hand on his blade ready to draw it. On whatever evil creature would attack them and heard a man call out to them. Unlike the other warriors around him this man was a mage an Arch Mage. If someone this powerful was drawn here then this would not be an easy fight and certantly a challenge. "It is a bit unnerving to have a rather large familure to be invisible sir" he said while Ilta did question the mage. Diamond did hear Aria speak with another riddle and that made the white haired mercenary sigh. And then cringe when she tried to mount the invisible tiger.

But his eyes flick over to the newist person to come in and it was something that could be a problem. A dainty looking farm girl or at least what looked to be like one. The girl was not armed at all or anything like that. He walks over to her "Greetings miss, I'm Diamond Corsica. And I hate to ask this but are you armed or anything for self defense" he asked as his mercenary mind worked in overdrive to work around Yuki. Since if they encountered something bad. The girl might not be able to defend herself from the incoming harm.

[Deleted]

Aria seemed to be the only one who had any idea what was going on, suggesting that the answer to the final words of the vision were the same as the answer of the riddle she presented to Diamond. Séanait frowned at the riddle, trying to work it out, only to be interrupted by someone shouting from behind a tree. Instinct made her turn and raise her bow, drawing it back halfway as she looked for the man who had yelled out the greeting. She slackened her string when the man finished his introduction and Ilta admonished him for having a spell prepared, but didn't lower her bow. The mention of a spell and an invisible tiger saw to that.

A sound came from behind, and Séanait glanced back to see Yuki joining them. She lowered her bow with a little sigh as, in the background, Aria started wrestling with what could only be the invisible tiger. Of all the people from their house, why did it have to be Yuki? Kail had armour and weapons at least. But Yuki, well, Yuki was a runaway noblewoman trying to adapt to ordinary life. It didn't bode well that the dream had touched her as well. Did it want her for her innocence or as a hostage? Did it matter? Well, non, not really. She'd either have to send Yuki home alone and unprotected or watch over her in a forest possibly teeming with evil apparitions and a monstrous guardian, she if the dream had reached her, then it probably wasn't wise to send Yuki off alone.

Drawing her langseax, Séanait handed it to the girl. The blade was a foot and a half of good iron and steel, halfway between a sword and a dagger. It should suit the tall but delicate woman well enough.

"If you're coming, you might as well have this."

When she turned back to the rest of the group, Aria was mounted in thin air and pointing her staff in what was either some random direction or the direction of the tree. It could be hard to tell with her. As Séanait waited to see if anyone else was planning on going along with Aria, she snuck a glance at the so called "arch-mage". He didn't seem like what she'd expected. Far too nervy and cautious, without any apparent belief in his own powers. To her way of thinking, an arch-mage should be powerful enough not to see the group as a threat. Whoever he was, arch mage or not, he would need watching, she decided.

[Deleted]

"Would I greet friends in such a manner? Absolutely not. People whom as a whole I don't know, only knowing that there may be a potential mutual cause of a prophetic dream in the middle of a haunted forest in the middle of the night? Well, I would be foolish to approach new acquaintances who might very well attempt to turn on me without a plan B, no? I assumed you would prefer I not cause the air and snow around you to flash freeze up to your shoulders to speak with you to judge friend or foe status, yes? I'll buy you a brew from the pub should we get out of this forest after this little adventure to compensate for the unease." Adrain says to Ilta at her initial inquiry.

A sound and a new voice nearby draws as his attention turns to what appears to be an unarmed child joining the assembly. After assessing the child as a likely liability in a combat situation whom care shall be taken to guard if such a violent affair arises, his gaze turns back to Aria. For some reason, a strange sense of deja vu washed over him, but he hadn't the foggiest idea why. No matter, more than likely a side effect of the dream.
As the subject of Serai was raised, between Ilta's and Diamond's inquiry and the fact the red haired female soldier still had an arrow notched, he chuckle just a little.

"Well I don't know your capabilities currently. A magical adept could faintly sense his presence due to the fact mana blends in with his fur to hide his view, or he could cause some snow to move, brush to rustle, or some other means of notice and I'd much prefer him to not become a target when somebody realizes that there was something lurking and stalking about...you see he is not a familiar in the sense of what some witches and other mages use, but rather my compatriot and ally, certainly my longest and most loyal friend since I've come to this region.

It is at this point, Aria had leapt after Serai's position. The unwitting phantom tiger tensed up as the redhead approached his perch and a moment later he found himself falling from his perch into the snow. While he was able to right himself midair and land with minimal pain to his joints, Aria had decided to try to mount him. He naturally tried to roll to his side and fling Aria into the snow. In the scuffle however, Aria eventually found her way back onto his back at which point the tiger just gave up and let her sit. His tail swished rapidly with annoyance, whacking Aria's legs every so often.

At this point Serai's irritation caused his cloaking to drop, revealing a smooth looking creature with black fur and gray stripes down the length of his body. He was lean but age was accumulating evidenced by white hairs every so often in the sea of black and the length of his whiskers. The animal's thoughts, translated to Aria if she were paying attention added up to 'was that really necessary?'

Adrain raised a brow at the whole scene. Aria seemed to have perhaps too much interest in Serai since their encounter at the academy. There was some degree of affection, which coupled with Aria's comment about looking for him for eight years and seemingly knowing considerably more than he knew about her than he her would be a subject of a later discussion. Perhaps she knew of him before he woke up at the temple over a decade ago.

"Aria is indeed correct, that we need to move swiftly lest we become beset by creatures either wild or demonic...I can sense a powerful presence in the distance." he says calmly, walking briskly in the direction that Aria had already pointed out, overtaking the sitting tiger and rider. "Keep in mind that at the end of our trek, we may very well have to fight whatever is guarding the tree. If possible I'd like to prevent unnecessary loss of life, to save the child in question but whether the creature is that child transformed or otherwise remains to be seen. Either way, hope for the best, prepare for the worst, no? Also, do be careful with magic use...the less we use the better as to avoid unwanted attention." he calmly states as he walks, pausing to see if the others intend to come or not. Serai reluctantly begins to follow with Aria mounted on.

All the while, Adrain is actively scanning the area for unusual mana or hostile entities with his mind's eye and other senses. He knows well enough the rumors of demonic and beast activity and hopefully can detect anything to at least prepare for incoming. He reaches into his bag and pulls a torch out, igniting it with the smallest of spark from his fingertip, searing his palm briefly but with no real damage. He was fully intending to keep any significant use of magic to the bare minimum to attempt to preserve the element of surprise at the destination or at least not make a beacon of magical activity that any hostile entities can go to the giant 'fresh meat here' signature that large scale magic would bring.

[Yuki D'Avranches]

Amiee looked behind her at the question if anyone else was coming, on her way here she saw no one else, by the looks of the group there was six of them including herself. "I don't believe anyone else is coming unless it you wish to some men who had too much to drink this evening." She told the redhead as she took a good look around at the group.


Nodding her head at Diamond, she was about to tell him that she knows a little of basic swordsman but haven't held a weapon other than a fan in years. It was when Shy handed her the langseax, feeling the weight of the blade in her hands, the little bit of her training came back to her. Juggling the blade from hand to hand to get use to it, she finally held it in her left hand, taking a stance, with her other hand behind her back drawing a eight in the air being careful not to hurt anyone. Lowering the langseax, wishing that she had a belt or something to hide it. "I had a little training as a child."


Deciding to stick close to Shy, she followed Aria and the white haired man into the deeper parts of the forest. Her eyes, taking in everything there was to them since she had never set foot in the forest before. Becoming more in awe when she saw the man lights a torch with fire that he created from his hands, she never seen magic being used for simple things like that before normally she saw it being used to entertain people.


"Do you guys think, that time is the answer to the question the voice asked in the dream?" She voiced to no one really, wondering if maybe her thinking as too little on the answer. Pulling her cloak closer around her to keep the chill of the air off her body.

[Deleted]

Ilta doesn’t really know what the point of the riddle is. However, it was a common one, and one she had heard many, many times. Her expression turns bored. “Time. Everyone’s heard that riddle, Alex. That doesn’t answer the question for what it wants us to do.” She sighs, “There is no practicality in using riddles when you want someone to help you.” She doesn’t think she’d ever understand the gods.

The promise of ale improves her disposition on Kaiaru slightly. He may not have the best manners, but neither did she. “Or you could just say hello, like the average person, without using magic. Like I do everyday. However, if you’re serious about that drink, I’ll accept that.”

Ilta mostly ignores Alex jumping on the tiger. However, it did solve the question as to whether there was a large creature and it was, in fact, a tiger as claimed. At least, no one here was delusional even if they might be crazy.

As Kaiaru says he can sense it, Ilta gestures in front of her, “You can lead the way because I have no clue where I’m going. However, I wouldn’t call it a child. At least, I haven’t met any children who could send visions like that. While it called all of us here, I think we should not make any judgements until we know what it wants.” The tree was being guarded, but they didn’t know for what reason. It was entirely possible that killing the beast in front of the tree would be a poor decision. Besides, trusting random magical entities didn’t seem like the wisest decision.

She watches as Shy hands Yuki a longseax. When the girl goes into a stance, Ilta nods at her form. Training was different from an actual fight, but so long as she didn’t freeze when she came under danger, the girl would probably be fine. There were more than enough people with experience around.

[cody]

-- It is well past the wee morning hours at this point. The blackness of the night still creeping around the group as the forest remained silent in the full moonlit night. Beyond the group, a few ways ahead a flicker of light could be made out through the cracks of space between the massive tree's. The light appearing farther in within the forest, an it was slowly growing.

If the group were to go ahead towards the flickering light. Each person would come up to an old dirt road that looked to be recently used. The sign of carts and horse tracks visible to anyone that looks. The road would lead up to a small logging camp, with stacks of tree's stacked up at the edge of the tiny logging settlement. Within the ring of piled up logs, five buildings can be found lined up beside each other in a U shape. Two of the buildings were on fire; an no sign of people running away from the burning buildings. --

[Deleted]

Aria answered the tiger with amusement ’Completely ….wow your looking older….’ Serai was the first thing she saw actually age in well ages….. then again grandpa went through his cycle of old then younger. Around the same time Zeppy shed his horns. She was around so many ageless beings that the idea of aging slightly passed her mind….which made her wonder….what the hell was Rivers…or muse for that matter. They both didn’t seem to age….. Aria put that thought in a mental box of questions to ask later.
Aria turned her attention back to the group as Zane and Ilta worked out her riddle. She chuckled and shrugged.

”Yes time is the answer, as for riddles, they are wonderful ways of telling someone something they really aren’t allowed to let you know about.”

Really the subject matter was something Aria was sure that the gods wouldn’t want people coming across. It bothered her that they were being sent to it....without a clear instruction on what was expected. But she would have time to assess the situation when they came across it. Arai turned her attention back to the little group; glad someone gave the unarmed girl something to whack things with if needed….her eyebrow quirked when the girl said she was trained when she was younger. Now that drew Arias attention completely to her. She looked the girl up and down with a curious expression. Turning around so she was sitting on Serais back backwards and facing the girl.

”With a sword? Trained when you were younger you say? Interesting….a swords a noble weapon.”

She chuckled and turned back around, her feet crossed in front of her with her staff resting in her lap. She rode along on top of Serai as the group meandered on forward. Aria really didn’t move from the spot until the light of a flickering fire was seen ahead. She frowned as they came up to the scene of the burning building…..

”Part of me is saying this is sketchy as hell and we should keep moving…..the other half....”

She sighed and hopped off of Serai.

”I will check the burning buildings, the rest of you please check the ones that arnt. Keep your arms up and look for trouble. Those who are magically inclined to deal with fire ….well make sure its not spreading to the other buildings.”

She could sense some animals panicking mostly in the stables. She took off her cloak and sweater, and pulled a dagger off her waist. She jogged towards the burning building; her senses branching out to the panicking animals. She needed to get a picture of what was going on.