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A Rose In The Wind: A Saga of the Halmae -- Updated June 19, 2014
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<blockquote data-quote="ellinor" data-source="post: 4858578" data-attributes="member: 14561"><p><strong>3x04</strong></p><p></p><p>A shape poked out of the trees, toward the ledge. It was a shape Arden had never seen before. Was it an animal? A person? It had hair like an animal, but stood on two feet, its long arms dangling almost to the ground. Horns protruded from its head. It seemed to be watching her. “Dame Filomena?” she asked Mena, pointing to the ridge, “do you see that?”</p><p></p><p>A rock clattered down from above.</p><p></p><p>Then another.</p><p></p><p>Mena got the group’s attention. “Stop. These may not be simple falling rocks.” She turned to Arden. “What did you see?” </p><p></p><p>“I’m not sure,” Arden replied, “but it had horns.”</p><p></p><p>“These may be the humanoids whose tracks we saw earlier,” Mena observed. “We should not assume they are friendly,” she continued, glaring at Twiggy. “We should scout ahead to see whether it is safe to continue. Arden?”</p><p></p><p><em>Of course, send the expendable one,</em> thought Arden.</p><p></p><p>“ . . . And Kormick?” Mena continued, “See what you can on the path ahead.”</p><p></p><p><em>Better,</em> thought Arden, realizing that Mena had just assigned her a trusted role.</p><p></p><p>CRASH! As Arden and Kormick got about 100 yards in front of the group, a boulder smashed at Arden’s feet, and—BAM!—another hurtled from above, hitting Kormick on the head. He stumbled, dazed, and stopped. “We must go back,” he said, blinking his eyes and feeling around the large bloody gash left by the rock. “I can hardly see to know what is ahead.” He put his arm out and Arden steadied him. <em>Happy to help, Alleged,</em> she thought.</p><p></p><p>Savina gasped when the pair returned, and immediately began chanting a healing spell. She put her hands near Kormick’s head, and a warm blue glow surrounded his injury, which stopped bleeding immediately. </p><p></p><p>But Kormick did not have time to thank her before a howl—howls—arose from every direction. Rocks and boulders began to rain down on the party.</p><p></p><p>Tavi was first hit, as a large stone slammed into his chest. Another hit Kormick, in the leg. They were coming from everywhere. As Twiggy ran forward, a boulder crashed into the back of the leg, pinning her to the ground. She struggled, but could not move. “I need hel—” she yelled, before ducking and covering her head to protect it from flying debris.</p><p></p><p>A scream erupted behind Arden as Savina, too, was pinned. An immovably large boulder had crushed Savina’s foot and ankle, holding her to the spot. But Arden had no time to think about the fate of her boot underneath that boulder: another stone was flying toward her. She tried to dodge, but lost her balance and fell, bruising her hip. As she stumbled to her feet, she reached for her sling and shot at one of the beasts. The stone flew true and hit one of the beasts in the face. <em>Turnabout,</em> she thought.</p><p></p><p>Kormick, limping from his bruised leg, retaliated as well. Two of his crossbow bolts reached the beasts. But there were too many of them. Rocks showered down like a small avalanche, blocking the path ahead. Even if they beat back the creatures, they would not be able to continue on the path. Mena, closest to the rockfall, turned and pointed. “Back the way we came!” she hollered, pointing with her sword.</p><p></p><p>Jan turned back to help Twiggy, who was alternately cowering and prying stones under the boulder in an attempt to wedge it off her leg. With a grunt, Kormick pushed it away and freed the girl. “Come, young lady,” he said, “let us get you—” </p><p></p><p>As Kormick watched, a rock flying straight for his head suddenly turned, as if batted away by an enormous invisible hand. Twiggy grinned with pride, a faint shimmer in the air the only outward sign of the arcane forces she had brought to bear. “Yes, let’s,” she said. They ran back along the trail, the way they had come. Mena and Arden followed.</p><p></p><p>Tavi wedged his back under the rock pinning Savina, and pushed. It rose just enough for Savina to free her foot. “Here,” he said, offering his shoulder to support her. She limped behind him, blushing.</p><p></p><p>As the group retreated, the rock shower stopped. The creatures receded back behind the ridge. Apart from the party’s labored breathing, the canyon was entirely silent.</p><p></p><p>They paused for healing, and to drink from their water skins. They’d have to double back by nearly a day’s journey to get out of the canyon and on a different path toward where they hoped the spring might be. Arden looked down at her blackened feet. <em>Another day,</em> she thought.</p><p></p><p>###</p><p></p><p>Twiggy took off her glasses to get a closer look at a leaf. It was violet, with green veins. The plants had been lining their path for nearly two days, since they had turned off the canyon trail where the ape-goat-things had attacked them. <em>The plant life here is amazing,</em> she thought, turning the unfamiliar leaf in her fingers. <em>And unlike the animals, it isn’t trying to kill us.</em></p><p></p><p>Trekking had been surprisingly easy for Twiggy. Her joints had ached, at first, unaccustomed to the heavy packs and constant pace, but over time, it became familiar and even fun. The problem was that they didn’t know where they were going. The paths through the mountains were walkable, if obscure, but they were made by those fascinating electrical deer rather than by people, and there was no way to know whether they led toward their goal. Every morning, the party gathered around the maps, plotting their route for the day. And every day—with the exception of that one day when the tree buds had all been on one side of the trees—they had no idea whether they were really going in the right direction. It was unsettling. How were they supposed to walk the path of Alirria when Alirria was so stingy with information about her path? </p><p></p><p>Twiggy’s musings were interrupted by a yelp from Kormick. “Halloo? What have we here?” He was standing at the edge of a dry stream bed. It was clear that the stream had not run for some time – plants grew through and around it with no signs that it had been their water supply – but the pattern of large and small stones had unmistakably been left, long ago, by flowing water. </p><p></p><p><em>Alirria is all about water,</em> Twiggy thought, <em>and this stream doesn’t have any water.</em> “We should go away from it, at a right angle,” she suggested. “Right? Just like we went away from the barren sides of the branches?” She looked to Savina for confirmation.</p><p></p><p>Tavi jumped in. “This is different. There, we were going toward the direction of the leaves. This is a streambed, or was one. I say we follow it back to where its origin used to be.” The hummingbird flitted just ahead of him, apparently already on her way.</p><p></p><p>Savina considered both options. “I can’t be sure,” she said. “It is a streambed, but it is dry . . .”</p><p></p><p>Tavi swung his pack higher on his shoulder and gave a beckoning wave. “This way it is,” he said, heading up the streambed. The group followed. </p><p></p><p>“But . . . did we really . . . are we sure . . . didn’t Savina say…?” Twiggy tried to form the right question as she gathered her pack to catch up. Tavi was usually pretty quiet. It seemed a strange time for him to assert his authority. <em>But he is the ranking member of the group,</em> Twiggy thought. <em>Even out here, blood matters.</em></p><p></p><p>“We can always come back this way if it seems wrong,” Mena said, quietly.</p><p></p><p>After several hours’ quiet hiking, they reached a pile of stones, where it seemed the stream had been blocked. It looked like a natural rockfall. <em>Symbolic,</em> Twiggy thought. <em>Or maybe it was the work of the Sovereigns. Maybe this is the way to the Spring, after all.</em> A scramble up the stones revealed a glen, grassy and clear, with tall trees ringing a crystalline lake. The sun, beginning to fall below the tops of the tallest trees, cast shadows across the lake, which glistened in its stillness. A waterfall splashed down the far side, with a <em>shushing</em> sound.</p><p></p><p>Twiggy dipped her finger in the water as they walked by. It was cool, refreshing. </p><p></p><p><span style="color: Sienna">A lake, Chelesta, with clean water! Maybe we can take a bath! Maybe everyone can take a bath! Or at least, definitely, Kormick. Really, some baths would be very much in order</span>, Acorn suggested.</p><p></p><p><em>Maybe, Acorn,</em> Twiggy thought, <em>but at the very least, we have found a beautiful place to camp for the night. I guess I was wrong. This has to have been the right direction. Just look at it, Acorn. It’s beautiful.</em></p><p></p><p>They set up camp near the lakeside, and prepared for an evening meal. It was quiet. Restful.</p><p></p><p>And that’s when the giant tree attacked them.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="ellinor, post: 4858578, member: 14561"] [b]3x04[/b] A shape poked out of the trees, toward the ledge. It was a shape Arden had never seen before. Was it an animal? A person? It had hair like an animal, but stood on two feet, its long arms dangling almost to the ground. Horns protruded from its head. It seemed to be watching her. “Dame Filomena?” she asked Mena, pointing to the ridge, “do you see that?” A rock clattered down from above. Then another. Mena got the group’s attention. “Stop. These may not be simple falling rocks.” She turned to Arden. “What did you see?” “I’m not sure,” Arden replied, “but it had horns.” “These may be the humanoids whose tracks we saw earlier,” Mena observed. “We should not assume they are friendly,” she continued, glaring at Twiggy. “We should scout ahead to see whether it is safe to continue. Arden?” [i]Of course, send the expendable one,[/i] thought Arden. “ . . . And Kormick?” Mena continued, “See what you can on the path ahead.” [i]Better,[/i] thought Arden, realizing that Mena had just assigned her a trusted role. CRASH! As Arden and Kormick got about 100 yards in front of the group, a boulder smashed at Arden’s feet, and—BAM!—another hurtled from above, hitting Kormick on the head. He stumbled, dazed, and stopped. “We must go back,” he said, blinking his eyes and feeling around the large bloody gash left by the rock. “I can hardly see to know what is ahead.” He put his arm out and Arden steadied him. [i]Happy to help, Alleged,[/i] she thought. Savina gasped when the pair returned, and immediately began chanting a healing spell. She put her hands near Kormick’s head, and a warm blue glow surrounded his injury, which stopped bleeding immediately. But Kormick did not have time to thank her before a howl—howls—arose from every direction. Rocks and boulders began to rain down on the party. Tavi was first hit, as a large stone slammed into his chest. Another hit Kormick, in the leg. They were coming from everywhere. As Twiggy ran forward, a boulder crashed into the back of the leg, pinning her to the ground. She struggled, but could not move. “I need hel—” she yelled, before ducking and covering her head to protect it from flying debris. A scream erupted behind Arden as Savina, too, was pinned. An immovably large boulder had crushed Savina’s foot and ankle, holding her to the spot. But Arden had no time to think about the fate of her boot underneath that boulder: another stone was flying toward her. She tried to dodge, but lost her balance and fell, bruising her hip. As she stumbled to her feet, she reached for her sling and shot at one of the beasts. The stone flew true and hit one of the beasts in the face. [i]Turnabout,[/i] she thought. Kormick, limping from his bruised leg, retaliated as well. Two of his crossbow bolts reached the beasts. But there were too many of them. Rocks showered down like a small avalanche, blocking the path ahead. Even if they beat back the creatures, they would not be able to continue on the path. Mena, closest to the rockfall, turned and pointed. “Back the way we came!” she hollered, pointing with her sword. Jan turned back to help Twiggy, who was alternately cowering and prying stones under the boulder in an attempt to wedge it off her leg. With a grunt, Kormick pushed it away and freed the girl. “Come, young lady,” he said, “let us get you—” As Kormick watched, a rock flying straight for his head suddenly turned, as if batted away by an enormous invisible hand. Twiggy grinned with pride, a faint shimmer in the air the only outward sign of the arcane forces she had brought to bear. “Yes, let’s,” she said. They ran back along the trail, the way they had come. Mena and Arden followed. Tavi wedged his back under the rock pinning Savina, and pushed. It rose just enough for Savina to free her foot. “Here,” he said, offering his shoulder to support her. She limped behind him, blushing. As the group retreated, the rock shower stopped. The creatures receded back behind the ridge. Apart from the party’s labored breathing, the canyon was entirely silent. They paused for healing, and to drink from their water skins. They’d have to double back by nearly a day’s journey to get out of the canyon and on a different path toward where they hoped the spring might be. Arden looked down at her blackened feet. [i]Another day,[/i] she thought. ### Twiggy took off her glasses to get a closer look at a leaf. It was violet, with green veins. The plants had been lining their path for nearly two days, since they had turned off the canyon trail where the ape-goat-things had attacked them. [i]The plant life here is amazing,[/i] she thought, turning the unfamiliar leaf in her fingers. [i]And unlike the animals, it isn’t trying to kill us.[/i] Trekking had been surprisingly easy for Twiggy. Her joints had ached, at first, unaccustomed to the heavy packs and constant pace, but over time, it became familiar and even fun. The problem was that they didn’t know where they were going. The paths through the mountains were walkable, if obscure, but they were made by those fascinating electrical deer rather than by people, and there was no way to know whether they led toward their goal. Every morning, the party gathered around the maps, plotting their route for the day. And every day—with the exception of that one day when the tree buds had all been on one side of the trees—they had no idea whether they were really going in the right direction. It was unsettling. How were they supposed to walk the path of Alirria when Alirria was so stingy with information about her path? Twiggy’s musings were interrupted by a yelp from Kormick. “Halloo? What have we here?” He was standing at the edge of a dry stream bed. It was clear that the stream had not run for some time – plants grew through and around it with no signs that it had been their water supply – but the pattern of large and small stones had unmistakably been left, long ago, by flowing water. [i]Alirria is all about water,[/i] Twiggy thought, [i]and this stream doesn’t have any water.[/i] “We should go away from it, at a right angle,” she suggested. “Right? Just like we went away from the barren sides of the branches?” She looked to Savina for confirmation. Tavi jumped in. “This is different. There, we were going toward the direction of the leaves. This is a streambed, or was one. I say we follow it back to where its origin used to be.” The hummingbird flitted just ahead of him, apparently already on her way. Savina considered both options. “I can’t be sure,” she said. “It is a streambed, but it is dry . . .” Tavi swung his pack higher on his shoulder and gave a beckoning wave. “This way it is,” he said, heading up the streambed. The group followed. “But . . . did we really . . . are we sure . . . didn’t Savina say…?” Twiggy tried to form the right question as she gathered her pack to catch up. Tavi was usually pretty quiet. It seemed a strange time for him to assert his authority. [i]But he is the ranking member of the group,[/i] Twiggy thought. [i]Even out here, blood matters.[/i] “We can always come back this way if it seems wrong,” Mena said, quietly. After several hours’ quiet hiking, they reached a pile of stones, where it seemed the stream had been blocked. It looked like a natural rockfall. [i]Symbolic,[/i] Twiggy thought. [i]Or maybe it was the work of the Sovereigns. Maybe this is the way to the Spring, after all.[/i] A scramble up the stones revealed a glen, grassy and clear, with tall trees ringing a crystalline lake. The sun, beginning to fall below the tops of the tallest trees, cast shadows across the lake, which glistened in its stillness. A waterfall splashed down the far side, with a [i]shushing[/i] sound. Twiggy dipped her finger in the water as they walked by. It was cool, refreshing. [COLOR="Sienna"]A lake, Chelesta, with clean water! Maybe we can take a bath! Maybe everyone can take a bath! Or at least, definitely, Kormick. Really, some baths would be very much in order[/COLOR], Acorn suggested. [i]Maybe, Acorn,[/i] Twiggy thought, [i]but at the very least, we have found a beautiful place to camp for the night. I guess I was wrong. This has to have been the right direction. Just look at it, Acorn. It’s beautiful.[/i] They set up camp near the lakeside, and prepared for an evening meal. It was quiet. Restful. And that’s when the giant tree attacked them. [/QUOTE]
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A Rose In The Wind: A Saga of the Halmae -- Updated June 19, 2014
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