--- Jeff/Neydisa Lude 5: Wounds --- Session Start: Tue May 06 2003 --SESSION START-- >> The cool night air brings some small relief from the blazing heat of the savannah. The smell of salt rises from the nearby Outer Sea. Neydisa and Jeff have camped off the road a short distance. «ooc: You're quite a way past the encounter point now. » * Neydisa settles down after continuing their journey a good distance more, a bit tired from the run-in earlier. She takes a few breaths of the cooling air, relaxing for a moment and stretching her legs. * Jeff walks around the edge of the camp looking outward, the hood of his cloak up, as it's been since the encounter. I wonder if I'm pushing a little too hard.. my feet feel like I just walked around Filgaia and back. That sweltering sun wasn't helping... * Neydisa streches a bit more, "But its just a little bit of annoyance in the end. We've come a long way already, haven't we?" * Jeff looks towards Neydisa, and nods. "We made good progress today. And hopefully made the trail safer... if you feel you're pushing yourself too much, we can take it easier tomorrow." * Neydisa shakes her head. "I'm ok, really. I'd feel bad if I started slacking off when we're doing so well." If you're sure. There's no sense in running yourself into the ground. There's no big hurry, is there? * Neydisa takes out some of her things, most notably a blanket, which she wraps around herself lightly. "You're right... if I hurry too much, then soon this trip will be over." Isn't that the point? * Jeff grins. "I didn't think you were walking this trail for fun." * Neydisa smiles. "Maybe I am... I enjoy traveling, afterall." Especially with good company... * Neydisa looks up to the sky. "Even if I'm on the higher powers timetable in ways, it leads me down interesting paths That I can't take for granted." * Jeff chuckles a little. "Thanks. This IS pleasant, compared to the last few weeks. It's... sort of nice not having to constantly be on the move." «ooc: Fighting undead dragons is really refreshing compared to those other things we fought before! » « hehe ^^ » <> <> * Neydisa ponders aloud, "It's strange, Jeff... you seem like the last person who would get thrown into all of those great events." «ooc: Ha! Burn. » * Jeff looks a little puzzled. "What do you mean?" You're really simple and humble, a lot like me... even if I runaway with praising your strength and dedication sometimes. * Neydisa goes on, "...I guess what I'm trying to say is I feel comfortable around you. A normal person who's life somehow was turned around completely in one day..." * Jeff scratches his head, brushing his hood back in the process. "We all do what can, that's all. This all needed done... so we did it." * Jeff smiles. "And thank you... you might be the only one, though. I get the feeling that everyone else is a little..." * Neydisa peers at Jeff. "A little...?" * Jeff shrugs. "I suppose I honestly can't say I wouldn't think it was strange myself, if someone else had.. ah.. come back." Mmm. Being with them for so long, I can understand what you mean. * Neydisa hugs her legs a bit. "I can't shake the feeling that even if we fought together, in some ways we're all so distant yet... so many goals." I can't say I know any of y-.. of them that well. Except for you and Shane, they've all... Been like strangers to you? * Jeff shrugs. "Something like that. But really, that's how people are. We came together to do something that needed done, and we did it. But everyone has their own dreams and hopes to follow." One of the things I need to do is get them back together, I think. Shane, Hikaru, Joseph... but will we all have a common cause this time? If that next threat comes out and gvies us that cause, I think it just might be too late to realize that dream from the Guardians... What do you mean? * Neydisa turns her head, staring at Jeff a moment. "I.. never told you?" * Jeff shakes his head. "No, you never did." * Neydisa sighs. "It seems like a long time ago now.. but the day before we met at the fairground I had a strange, vivid dream." In it, I heard the voice of Lucadia telling me what had to be done for me to be saved. Running from pain, I stopped to listen and drew hope from the words. She told me the keys were the Eater of Souls, the Man With No Face, and the Pretender. * Neydisa tilts her head to the side, thinking. "Like my title of Grey Priestess, we all seem to bear a unique spirtual name -- and through the journey I found out these belonged to Hikaru, Joseph, and lastly, Shane." Spiritual names... * Jeff looks serious now. "Neydisa.. be careful. And good luck. I don't pretend to know what that's about, but it sounds serious." * Neydisa nods, looking a little sad. "I've seen other things as well.. it scares me sometimes, but I obviously have some purpose. So I have to keep going..." «ooc: I'd like to advance before TOO much longer. » * Jeff nods. "Keep moving forward, and keep working for the best..." Maybe it's a bit selfish, but I don't want this leg of the journey to end. I worry what you'll do if we seperate. * Jeff shakes his head. "I'm not sure. There are a few things I'd like to do, yet... We'll see." * Neydisa looks down. "I worry that you're going to have be a stranger to everyone again when you walk away..." A stranger... * Jeff looks a little amused. Yes... I probably will be. But that's all right. My time here's done, really. I'm lucky to have the chance to tie up a few loose ends. * Neydisa nods, and sighs. She look back to him. "Jeff.. you always walk around the camp so distantly. Do you think.. maybe.. tonight you could stay a little closer to me?" I... sure. We haven't seen any more of those things flying around, though, so it should be safe. Get some rest... * Neydisa slumps a bit in agreement, a small yawn escaping her lips. She lays down fully, swaddled in her trailworn blanket. "You're right... I'm sorry for going on like this." «ooc: GWAA FAST FWD. » >> Night passes quickly, and soon it is time to begin the march again. After a few hours' walking, the coastline begins to curve to the east, forming a narrow peninsula whose other side can be seen faintly in the distance. * Jeff walks along, hands resting in the opposite sleeves of his robe in front of him * Neydisa treks onward, refreshed. She keeps her amber eyes open for any surprises, studying the peninsula as they approach it. She has her compass out, then looks up at the sun. "Hmm... This should be the midway part of the continent. The coast juts out and isn't so rocky here..." >> A thin haze hovers over the terminating end of the peninsula, and beneath the haze lies a small forest, the only one either of them has seen during the trip. << "OMG WTF TR33Z!">> * Neydisa starts to follow the coast into the the area of the landform, but slows, noticing the forest. "A forest, here? I wonder... could we have found it?" Maybe. It'd be a much easier place to live than out on the open plains. * Neydisa nods in agreement, her excitement rising. She can't help but imagine some old hermit living in a secluded cabin in her mind's eye. "Good point... let's get a closer look." * Jeff nods. "Right." >> The forest is only a few miles away by the point it becomes visible, and it isn't long before it's large before the pair. The growth is tangled and subtropical. * Neydisa looks closely at the tangled path ahead, seeing if there's a good way to venture through it without getting too caught up in the undergrowth. >> There are a few narrow dirt paths. It looks like something moves through here, even if its only animals. * Neydisa takes the lead down one of the nearest roads into the forest. "That's a good sign, I hope. Too bad Elena isn't here... she'd like this place." * Jeff follows, looking around. "She would, wouldn't she." * Neydisa muses on the thought of how Ellena and Hikaru might be getting along, making her way ahead. >> Stepping into the forest is like submerging in cool water. Within the forest's bowery embrace, everything is moist and cool and smells of turned earth. This is beautiful, compared to out there... * Neydisa feel a great sense of peace walking here, quite visible on her face. "Like an oasis in a dusty desert. If only more of Filgaia was so fresh..." >> The woods are full of strange sounds -- it's difficult to tell if there is danger about. Even in the late afternoon, visibility is poor amidst the tangles of bark and vines. * Neydisa tries to pick her way through carefully, losing some of the idealism as the real threat of danger sets in a bit. .o( Can't get too ahead of myself just yet.. ) * Jeff seems to have relaxed quite a bit since entering, keeping an eye out but enjoying the change. >> The trail meanders through the wood, forming wide curves around obstacles and taking long detours to salt licks and freshwater springs. Here and there it divides, but in every case the two sides of the fork are identical. * Jeff follows Neydisa as long as she keeps going, but begins to look around nervously * Neydisa looks a bit more nervous herself, whispering low. "Definitely an animal trail. But it's the only one we have." « afk just briefly... keep going. » «ooc: No! » « back » <> «ooc: I was waiting for Storen. :D » >> Something falls to the ground behind the pair as they pass by. «ooc: Er, something fairly big. » * Jeff turns quickly to face the sound * Neydisa stops abruptly and turns... >> A human figure is crouched on the path, hidden by the darkness. * Jeff relaxes a little. "Hello." * Neydisa glances at Jeff a moment, then back towards the figure. >> The person stands up. It is a robed woman rippling with dark muscles. Her hair is pulled into a tight bun, and a strangely metallic white teardrop tattoo shimmers on her left cheek. "Who are you?" I'm Jeff Claran. * Jeff glances at Neydisa for a moment * Neydisa 's eyes are instantly drawn to the teardrop, having seen something like it before. "If we've disturbed your forest.. I apologize. My name is Neydisa Kingfisher..." >> The woman keeps both hands in front of her, taking a few steps toward Neydisa. "You. Have we met?" * Neydisa squints a bit. "Wait, that mark... Cathay?" >> She grunts. "You're one of that girl's friends. What are you doing here?" * Jeff looks back and forth again, holding his questions for now * Neydisa speaks clearer. "I asked the wind about learning the ways of the Spirit... and it led me to this place. How fortunate I can get to see you again." Cathay: We are very busy right now. >> She brushes past, continuing down the path * Neydisa stops mid sentence, looking behind her now at the powerful shaman. "We?" Cathay: Tyrell and I. He's unable to take on postulants right now. * Neydisa turns around fully, taking this in. "I see. I don't want to impose on you, but is there any way I might be be allowed to?" Cathay: Can you fight? * Neydisa hadens her face a bit. "I and my companion didn't come here without our share of battles. I'm willing to do whatever it takes." >> Cathay continues marching down the path at a swift clip, not looking back. "Who is he?" * Jeff follows along behind the two at a slight distance, letting Neydisa handle things. * Neydisa tries to keep up, signalling for Jeff to follow. "This is Jeff Claren. He's my close friend, and a great servant of the Guardians as well. Perhaps the last Shaman of Zephyr to walk Filgaia." Cathay: Really? Well, then. Come on. I'll take you to our place. If you didn't bring food, you'd better be good at catching it. * Jeff picks up the pace a little to keep up. * Neydisa cracks a small smile, finally getting through. "Don't worry. I can earn my share." >> Cathay moves cautiously but quickly along the tortuous path. After a few turns, the trees begin to thin, and those that stand are choked by a thick gall. * Neydisa does her best to keep up, head filled with many thoughts. .o( Cathay... it all makes sense. She led us out of the lands before safely... ) >> The path passes by an area that it nearly bare but for a few dead trees. In the center of this area, a tent has been erected. Cathay leaves the path to head toward the tent, but she soon stops and holds an arm out to halt the pair. * Neydisa stops obediently at the signal. Cathay: *points to the ground, where a wide circle has been burnt into the grass* Do not disturb the circle. * Jeff stops next to Neydisa >> She steps over the circle carefully, continuing on. * Jeff <> * Neydisa follows the gesture to the burnt circle with her eyes, before gingerly stopping over the mark like it could be a bed of hot coals. « er stepping ^^ » « stopping would be bad! :o » * Jeff steps over the circle, being careful not to touch it. « eek..a fk 1 sec.. some noise outside.. » « Wierd, I could have sworn I heard something... maybe you're starting to get me all jumpy. >:) » >> Cathay raps a heavily-tarnished brass plate that hangs from one of the trees, producing a dull ringing sound. "Tyrell. I bring soldiers for us." >> The tent flap is pushed aside by a very thin bald man whose skin is so dark that it is almost black. He crawls out, leaning forward and squinting at Neydisa and Jeff in turn. "Ohh? What's this, then?" Cathay: Allies. * Jeff nods a greeting, smiling. >> The master's speech is reedy and faint. "Mmmm. You're a strange pair, aren't you? Eh? You have weak souls for shamans. I hope you can fight well." * Neydisa meets the eyes of the man for a moment, then bows after a bit of hesitation. "We've made some sacrifices to get here... but I think they were worth it." Tyrell: Ahhh? That explains it then. How'd you pick up these two, Cathay? Cathay: The woman wishes to study under you. I explained that you are very busy, but they offered to help with the problem to speed your freedom. * Jeff looks at Neydisa again for a moment. "You're trapped here?" Tyrell: Ah! Not precisely. Come in, there's room for four if you scootch a bit. *ducks back into the tent* >> Cathay steps in front of Neydisa. "I...had a dark premonition of your party's fate some time ago. I prayed for your safety. I am glad to see you are well." * Neydisa looks back at Jeff. She is puzzled a bit as well, but soon shrugs it off to face Cathay. "We came through, somehow... but it's a very long tale, if you have time to listen, I'll be glad to fill you in." >> Cathay shrugs and ducks into the tent. * Jeff look at Neydisa and gestures to tent entrance. * Neydisa follows into the tent as well. It's not a difficult task with her small, slender frame. * Jeff follows Neydisa in >> The inside of the tent is very dark and smells like ash. Tyrell crosses his legs and folds his hands in his lap. "The world is a strange place these days. Tell me, have either of you heard of the manitou?" « oogh.. shades of Grue's game hitting me. ^^ » «ooc: Grue has no game! » «ooc: He is a filthy frenchman dog » « lol. well, his friend, that was running deadlands. » * Neydisa finds a place to sit, crossing her legs as well. "Manitou... there's many legends I've heard spoken, but none of them are good ones." Tyrell: The manitou are the beast lords. Each was the first of his kind, and remains the most powerful. The manitou openly despise humanity, though the friendlier among them will deal with us at times. Cathay exchanges a look with Tyrell, then turns to face Neydisa. "You have met an aspect of Raven, manitou of the ravens. He is powerful, and has some dealings with shamans." * Neydisa nods. "I see... because of him we were able to meet you in the Spirit World safely. I owe him much for that favor." So there are many others like him? Tyrell: Yes. The only reason many manitou do not openly war with humanity is that we have the favour of the Guardians. *he pauses, and Cathay hands him a clay cup, which he sips from* There are countless manitou. The power of a manitou is determined by the grandeur of his followers. Many manitou have become weak and vanished, and those that remain are not as strong as they once were. «ooc: er, the yes was to the first thing ney asked » « I got it. no worries. » <> <<..*cough* sorry>> «ooc: It isn't just numbers or survival. It's very complex! » * Neydisa hmms softly, digesting this info. <> «ooc: There are manitou for, like, cyanobacteria. But they're pretty dumb. » « heh. imagine.. a big ameoba manitou. scary. ^^ » <> <<...actually no I don't. Ew.>> Declining... just like everything else. Tyrell: In the Golden Age, the grandest of all earthly creatures was the dragon. The elder dragons possessed power to rival the ancient Guardians, and Dragon himself was the emperor of nature. After the fall, his children slowly died out or went into hiding. Those that remained were hunted for the power that could be harvested from them. They were immensely powerful, and only the young ones ever fell to blades, but gradually the world changed in ways to which they could not adapt, and the young ones were all that remained. Still weak, they were susceptible to the predation of man and monster, and today, dragons are little more than a memory. * Neydisa looks very awed. "Dragons... I had no idea. I thought they were a myth, at best. Something used to scare children..." * Neydisa looks aside. "Of course, a lot of what I thought was mythical has been thrown at my feet as of late." Tyrell: Dragon's jade palace has crumbled, and he who was once the ruler of all beasts is now doomed to fade. He can not interfere overmuch with the process of life, and there are not enough dragons left to revive the species. Any lesser manitou would have faded into nothingness already. He is a proud and angry creature, and the loss of his children has driven him mad with rage. Tyrell: In times past, Dragon's rage was a flame that burnt civilizations to tinder. Now, however, he is much weaker, and his mind is gone. His madness is simply another of the many wounds this planet suffers from, and, like any other of those wounds, it can be healed or grow to doom us all. Tyrell: Since he cannot revive his dead children, Dragon has suspended them in a perverse state of half-life and pushed them back into our world in a place where the dimensions are soft. Solus Emsu is the enemy of things that should not be, and as one of the few shamans of Solus Emsu with the power and knowledge to combat this enemy, I have come to this place, perilously near the source. So THAT'S what those were! * Jeff looks slightly embarassed at his outburst. "..sorry." * Neydisa was just about to say it, when Jeff finishes her thought. >> Tyrell regards Jeff with interest. "Have you encountered the creatures already? This is bad news. We have killed every one we could since our arrival, but many appeared before we came, and even now some slip past us. Cathay and I have made one attack on the source of the problem, but we were repulsed. Perhaps with the two of you we will have a better chance." Yes.. we were attacked by a pair of them on the way here. Those terrible bird-creatures hunting the savannah... it was a very close struggle. Tyrell: That far...mm. It looks like even if we can close off the entrance, there will be much to do. You know the way things are now. Do you still want to stay? There are many problems plaguing the world today, and this is only one. I would understand if you did not want to risk your lives on this endavor. «ooc: endeavor » * Neydisa shakes her head, voice shaky but sure. "I've faced things much graver in my travels... to help Filgaia and earn your help and trust, I will do whatever needs to be done." « bah. redundant. sleep setting in. ^^ » Tyrell: Kha ha! That's good to hear. The dragons we've fought have been very small and young, but there may be more powerful ones near the source. Tonight we rest. Tomorrow we will try an attack. * Jeff nods. "I will help as well. If I might help, I can't turn my back on a friend... and besides, I owe Solus Emsu a debt.." Tyrell: I hope you have some recovery berries or the like. The undead abhor restorative magic and anything suffused with it, and it is often more effective to fight them with holy power and restorative magic than by flailing at their tough skins. * Neydisa smiles at Jeff's words, his inspiration at work in her eyes. * Neydisa opens the flap of her pack at her side, revealing 6 Mega Berries, among other curative items. "Will these do?" * Jeff winces. "Yes... they do. We should have tried that when we encountered them..." Tyrell: Ahh! You're a dear thing, madam shaman. I must say, this is a great stroke of luck. Perhaps this battle will not be so difficult as I had anticipated. * Neydisa didn't expect to be so complimented. "I try, master Tyrell. Always be prepared, my father taught me..." >> Seeing that Tyrell is done, Cathay speaks up: "I would advise you to pray to your patrons for assistance tonight. There are a great many fallen dragons at the source, and we will not succeed with strength and magic alone." Tyrell: Ah, yes. I'm afraid you'll have to sleep outside tonight, as room for four sitting doesn't make room for four sleeping. I'm sure you won't mind, eh? I've laid a ward around this clearing that will prevent the undead from entering. If it is broken, there will be plenty of warning. * Neydisa nods, "I don't mind. The moon will witness my prayers to Lucadia for a safe departure tomorrow." * Jeff looks at his hands for a moment. "No... outside will be fine." «ooc: I'd like to wrap up. » « gladly. I'm fading slowly. ^^ » <> Cathay: Rest well. It will be a trying day. --SESSION END-- Session Close: Wed May 07 01:49:57 2003