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Knightfall's Short Story Thread
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<blockquote data-quote="Knightfall" data-source="post: 682981" data-attributes="member: 2012"><p><strong>Epilogue to Friends Forever</strong></p><p></p><p><strong><em>Departure</em></strong></p><p><em>By Robert Blezard</em></p><p></p><p>You've been staying at the Leaping Lion Inn for the last two months. The inn stands near the docks of the Wharf District and the view from the front of the Lion is breathtaking in the early morning. The rays of the rising sun radiate off the calm waters of Tepin Bay while the local fishing fleet sets off for a hard day's work. The many-colored sails gleam like dragonflies above the shallow water of the bay.</p><p></p><p>If it wasn't for your current situation, you might have considered staring at the scene for hours. Elves are like that. A calm, reflective life mixed with many long moments of shear joy and peace. However, the long sorrowful sigh that steams out of your lungs into the cold morning air betrays your disturbed soul. How long has it been since you were in your homeland, running with your brothers and sisters through the vales and glades of the Knotwood. It seems like forever.</p><p></p><p>Oh, having Dabuk around has helped and you wonder what would become of your torn soul if it weren't for the presence of your half-cousin. But lately, it hasn't helped. Not since the Hounds, not since what happen to Firewalker. The injuries had been life threatening; if not for Cheng-Du he surely would have died. It took several days to bring him to a point where you were able to move him and the trip to Minar City had nearly been the end of him several times along the way.</p><p></p><p>The Priests of the Longwood Temple of Daghdha, outside the city, refused to heal the nagpa thinking him a foul demon bird. The nerve of some humans drives you crazy. Only the clerics of the Temple of the Wind of Jalivier would allow the alien foreigner into their temple. And only after Mojo vouched for Firewalker.</p><p></p><p>Ha! The Priests of Daghdha were a little less arrogant when they learned that the supposed 'demon bird' turned out to be an intelligent priest from a distant, exotic land. Boy did they grovel. You have never seen human's become so humble so fast in your 100 plus years of existence. If it had been you they snubbed, you would have scorched their backsides with a fire cantrip. But that has never been Firewalker's way. Not only did he forgive them but also invited them to sit with him and Cheng-Du in a ceremony called Kic-hi-miktah, the Peace Star.</p><p></p><p>His good heart has never ceased to amaze you. That makes what he just told you all so difficult to take. He and Cheng-Du are leaving. Dabuk was confused of course, he didn't see what the problem was even if everyone else did. That was Dabuk's one fatal flaw, he's become so unemotional the last few years. Firewalker's body had healed but not his spirit. Yes, he still believes with all his heart but he is unsure of his worth to Vasos… ever since the hounds.</p><p></p><p>There had been more of them than even Dabuk knew. The hounds had lured them into a trap where two more of its kind waited to ambush Dabuk and Firewalker. Firewalker did not see them in time and both came down on him at once. Their flames did no harm of course due to his ring but their strong jaws tore at his flesh nearly snapping his arm off. Dabuk was able to dispatch the three beasts once he got them off the nagpa but the damage they did. The wounds may have healed but the scars, the internal ones, have not.</p><p></p><p>He's hid it well from Dabuk and Mojo but not from you or from Cheng-Du. Several times you've heard the nagpa tossing and turning in the night through the wall of the inn. And somehow the big kreen just knew. However, he won't admit it to anyone and that would be a sign of weakness in his faith.</p><p></p><p>"I can't believe your really leaving!" You haven't seen Dabuk look so grim since that day he came out of The Guildhall in Fruen after seeing Carl in his deathbed. Maybe he did understand.</p><p></p><p>"I-I have to!" Firewalker stares passively to the south, his back to you. "I am on a journey to see the world so that I might better serve Vasos when I return home. Besides, it is growing colder each day and not even the magical cloak the Tallinson gave Cheng-Du will protect him from this thing you call frostbite. He must go south and I must go with him. He saved my life. I owe him a debt that I doubt I'll ever be able to repay. He doesn't understand your language and he would surely end up beleaguered by 'monster hunters' without me to interpret for him."</p><p></p><p>Firewalker looks over his shoulder and smiles at you. "And don't worry my friends, Cheng-Du and I will be back to see you again soon."</p><p></p><p>"Damn, I don't believe this." Dabuk had been staring at the ground silently until the nagpa finished. Then throws up his hands, turns around and marches abruptly past Mojo coming out of the inn.</p><p></p><p>"He's going to miss you." Bactra grins at Firewalker.</p><p></p><p>"I know." The nagpa holds out his good arm and clasps Bactra's forearm. "Take care of yourself young one and keep an eye on your friends! They're a little overemotional."</p><p></p><p>"Hey, I resemble that remark." Mojo laughs from the steps of the inn. He’s quite the site in his new, fullplate, which he was loaned from the local temple. "I'll miss you my friend, you've been a sturdy companion and fine warrior. You can fight alongside me any day."</p><p></p><p>"Thank you Mojo." Firewalker seems a little shaken by the paladin's praise. "It was an honor for me as well."</p><p></p><p>Sometimes the human just knows the right thing to say.</p><p></p><p>"So where is our giant friend. I wish to give him a proper salute goodbye as well." Mojo scans the street for the kreen to no avail.</p><p></p><p>"Cheng-Du is waiting outside the gate for me to come." Mojo laughs at the curious glances from the mage and paladin. "He's not being overemotional, it is the law of his druidic order never to say goodbye to fellow travelers. It's bad luck to start a journey that way."</p><p></p><p>"Oh, understood." Mojo nods his head and gives Bactra a goofy grin. "Wouldn't want to cause any bad luck."</p><p></p><p>Mojo quickly stands at attention and salutes Firewalker with the Arion-quial, the Navirian warrior blessing. He then turns and clomps back into the inn.</p><p></p><p>"You were saying about being overemotional." Bactra stifles a laugh and shakes his head.</p><p></p><p>"Ha!"</p><p></p><p>The mood quickly becomes mellow in awkward silence that follows</p><p></p><p>"My people have a ritual for this sort of thing as well." Bactra stares down at the ground his words just above a whisper. "When a elf is leaving upon a quest or going to Arvandor for his final rest a family member or friend would stand and watch him depart for their journey in silence until the elf has passed out of sight."</p><p></p><p>"Sounds like a wonderful ritual to me, my friend. May Vasos give you strength."</p><p></p><p>"Sehanine go with you, Firewalker."</p><p></p><p>You stand there as he walks away from the Leaping Lion towards the city's gate waving to the locals who he befriended with his strong words and pure heart. You watch him go up the winding streets through the crowds until he passes from your view. Without a word you climb the stairs of the inn and pass though the entry with just a click of the door.</p><p></p><p><strong>THE END</strong></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Knightfall, post: 682981, member: 2012"] [b]Epilogue to Friends Forever[/b] [b][i]Departure[/i][/b] [i]By Robert Blezard[/i] You've been staying at the Leaping Lion Inn for the last two months. The inn stands near the docks of the Wharf District and the view from the front of the Lion is breathtaking in the early morning. The rays of the rising sun radiate off the calm waters of Tepin Bay while the local fishing fleet sets off for a hard day's work. The many-colored sails gleam like dragonflies above the shallow water of the bay. If it wasn't for your current situation, you might have considered staring at the scene for hours. Elves are like that. A calm, reflective life mixed with many long moments of shear joy and peace. However, the long sorrowful sigh that steams out of your lungs into the cold morning air betrays your disturbed soul. How long has it been since you were in your homeland, running with your brothers and sisters through the vales and glades of the Knotwood. It seems like forever. Oh, having Dabuk around has helped and you wonder what would become of your torn soul if it weren't for the presence of your half-cousin. But lately, it hasn't helped. Not since the Hounds, not since what happen to Firewalker. The injuries had been life threatening; if not for Cheng-Du he surely would have died. It took several days to bring him to a point where you were able to move him and the trip to Minar City had nearly been the end of him several times along the way. The Priests of the Longwood Temple of Daghdha, outside the city, refused to heal the nagpa thinking him a foul demon bird. The nerve of some humans drives you crazy. Only the clerics of the Temple of the Wind of Jalivier would allow the alien foreigner into their temple. And only after Mojo vouched for Firewalker. Ha! The Priests of Daghdha were a little less arrogant when they learned that the supposed 'demon bird' turned out to be an intelligent priest from a distant, exotic land. Boy did they grovel. You have never seen human's become so humble so fast in your 100 plus years of existence. If it had been you they snubbed, you would have scorched their backsides with a fire cantrip. But that has never been Firewalker's way. Not only did he forgive them but also invited them to sit with him and Cheng-Du in a ceremony called Kic-hi-miktah, the Peace Star. His good heart has never ceased to amaze you. That makes what he just told you all so difficult to take. He and Cheng-Du are leaving. Dabuk was confused of course, he didn't see what the problem was even if everyone else did. That was Dabuk's one fatal flaw, he's become so unemotional the last few years. Firewalker's body had healed but not his spirit. Yes, he still believes with all his heart but he is unsure of his worth to Vasos… ever since the hounds. There had been more of them than even Dabuk knew. The hounds had lured them into a trap where two more of its kind waited to ambush Dabuk and Firewalker. Firewalker did not see them in time and both came down on him at once. Their flames did no harm of course due to his ring but their strong jaws tore at his flesh nearly snapping his arm off. Dabuk was able to dispatch the three beasts once he got them off the nagpa but the damage they did. The wounds may have healed but the scars, the internal ones, have not. He's hid it well from Dabuk and Mojo but not from you or from Cheng-Du. Several times you've heard the nagpa tossing and turning in the night through the wall of the inn. And somehow the big kreen just knew. However, he won't admit it to anyone and that would be a sign of weakness in his faith. "I can't believe your really leaving!" You haven't seen Dabuk look so grim since that day he came out of The Guildhall in Fruen after seeing Carl in his deathbed. Maybe he did understand. "I-I have to!" Firewalker stares passively to the south, his back to you. "I am on a journey to see the world so that I might better serve Vasos when I return home. Besides, it is growing colder each day and not even the magical cloak the Tallinson gave Cheng-Du will protect him from this thing you call frostbite. He must go south and I must go with him. He saved my life. I owe him a debt that I doubt I'll ever be able to repay. He doesn't understand your language and he would surely end up beleaguered by 'monster hunters' without me to interpret for him." Firewalker looks over his shoulder and smiles at you. "And don't worry my friends, Cheng-Du and I will be back to see you again soon." "Damn, I don't believe this." Dabuk had been staring at the ground silently until the nagpa finished. Then throws up his hands, turns around and marches abruptly past Mojo coming out of the inn. "He's going to miss you." Bactra grins at Firewalker. "I know." The nagpa holds out his good arm and clasps Bactra's forearm. "Take care of yourself young one and keep an eye on your friends! They're a little overemotional." "Hey, I resemble that remark." Mojo laughs from the steps of the inn. He’s quite the site in his new, fullplate, which he was loaned from the local temple. "I'll miss you my friend, you've been a sturdy companion and fine warrior. You can fight alongside me any day." "Thank you Mojo." Firewalker seems a little shaken by the paladin's praise. "It was an honor for me as well." Sometimes the human just knows the right thing to say. "So where is our giant friend. I wish to give him a proper salute goodbye as well." Mojo scans the street for the kreen to no avail. "Cheng-Du is waiting outside the gate for me to come." Mojo laughs at the curious glances from the mage and paladin. "He's not being overemotional, it is the law of his druidic order never to say goodbye to fellow travelers. It's bad luck to start a journey that way." "Oh, understood." Mojo nods his head and gives Bactra a goofy grin. "Wouldn't want to cause any bad luck." Mojo quickly stands at attention and salutes Firewalker with the Arion-quial, the Navirian warrior blessing. He then turns and clomps back into the inn. "You were saying about being overemotional." Bactra stifles a laugh and shakes his head. "Ha!" The mood quickly becomes mellow in awkward silence that follows "My people have a ritual for this sort of thing as well." Bactra stares down at the ground his words just above a whisper. "When a elf is leaving upon a quest or going to Arvandor for his final rest a family member or friend would stand and watch him depart for their journey in silence until the elf has passed out of sight." "Sounds like a wonderful ritual to me, my friend. May Vasos give you strength." "Sehanine go with you, Firewalker." You stand there as he walks away from the Leaping Lion towards the city's gate waving to the locals who he befriended with his strong words and pure heart. You watch him go up the winding streets through the crowds until he passes from your view. Without a word you climb the stairs of the inn and pass though the entry with just a click of the door. [b]THE END[/b] [/QUOTE]
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