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Maissen: Shades of Grey [UPDATE 12/12, post 199]
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<blockquote data-quote="Beale Knight" data-source="post: 1960344" data-attributes="member: 7033"><p><strong>03-04 Back to the wild</strong></p><p></p><p>03 04</p><p></p><p>The others came out and gazed up at the sky with Ren. The flash from the departing najef had been so powerful, it took a moment for any of them to notice how the sky had suddenly changed. </p><p></p><p>“The sun’s up,” Aneirin said.</p><p></p><p>Madge blinked. “You’re right.” She furrowed her brow as she glanced over to the sun and then down to the shadows it cast. “It can’t be more than three hours past noon.”</p><p></p><p>Ren shivered. “Praise to every single god out and above that we’re out of that place.” He paused. “We ARE out aren’t we?” Without waiting for an answer he sprinted to the main gate, shoved the locking bar to one side, and gingerly pulled. The gates swung open as if they’d been oiled yesterday. Beyond was the forest they stood in the day before. From close by was the bleating of a goat. “Jimmy!” Ren shouted. He ran out of the courtyard and found the group’s goat and wagon, both where they’d been secured the night before. </p><p></p><p>From the debris field came a different noise. The high-pitched crying of baby. When the others walked to the ruins of the pyre where Lady Hilltopple had been wrongly burned to death, they saw him. An infant halfling, no larger than a two month old kitten and with almost as much hair. </p><p></p><p>“She wasn’t lying,” Bessie whispered as she bent to pick the child up. </p><p></p><p>Killian smiled. “Of course not. If she hadn’t been with child she would have been so wronged to return.”</p><p></p><p>From the second courtyard there were happy shouts. “You did it! You really did it! The curse is lifted! Happy day! You - - - -“ Armis came to an abrupt halt as he saw Bessie, Madge, and Killian gathered together. They turned to face him, and his eyes fell on the bundle in the druid’s arms. “What - - “ </p><p></p><p>“Armis,” Bessie said, “meet your brother.” She handed him over to Armis, who carefully cradled his brother in his arms.</p><p></p><p>“My brother,” he whispered. He turned and slowly began to walk back to his house, followed by Bessie, Madge, and Killian. </p><p></p><p>Aneirin stepped outside to join Ren. “You’re not going with them?”</p><p></p><p>Ren collapsed onto the dirt with a happy smile. “No, those three can handle this. I want to just enjoy being where I’m supposed to be – in the real world.”</p><p></p><p>Aneirin crossed his arms and stared into the distance. “The real world,” he said. “But not *my* real world.”</p><p></p><p>Ren propped himself on his arms. His face and voice full of sympathy, he said, “I’m sorry, Aneirin. You got taken on a ride that you didn’t want, and ended up where you can’t go back.”</p><p></p><p>The warrior from the past didn’t say anything for a long minute. Then he pointed south. “Is the thin valley still there?”</p><p></p><p>“Yes, most of a day’s walk,” Ren said.</p><p></p><p>“I’m not going to walk,” Aneirin said. He whistled a pattern of notes and turned to the hunter. “I’ll be back.”</p><p></p><p>Ren nodded. “I hear you. Go. We can wait.”</p><p></p><p>Avarshan trotted up beside her rider and Aneirin climbed on. He patted his mount and leaned to whisper in her ear. “Let’s ride.” And then they were off, sending a spray of dirt and grass behind them.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>“HE LEFT?!” Killian shouted.</p><p></p><p>“He’ll be back,” Ren said. </p><p></p><p>“We’ve got to get moving.”</p><p></p><p>“We still have to load up the cart. He’ll be back before we’re ready to actually go.”</p><p></p><p>“But…”</p><p></p><p>Bessie put a hand on his shoulder. “We can wait. He just needs to clear his head.”</p><p></p><p>“And come to terms with the stark truth of his situation,” Madge said. “Everything he knew is antiquated and everyone he knew is dead. He’s an orphan in the worst way. We can spare him the time to settle this within his soul.”</p><p></p><p>“If he’s not back by the time we’re ready to go, we’ll go looking,” Ren said. “Or I can go now and you all can load the cart.”</p><p></p><p>“You’re not getting out of that task,” Bessie said with a grin. </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Aneirin returned just as the last of the new supplies was being tied down. “Where do you go from here?”</p><p></p><p>“North,” Ren replied. “We have a mission that takes us to the dwarves of the mountains. After that, we’re not sure.”</p><p></p><p>“You’re welcome to come with us,” Bessie said. </p><p></p><p>“Thank you,” the warrior said. “I will. The time will help me get used to the fact of my circumstances, and I surely do not care to return alone to a strange home.”</p><p></p><p>With that, the four Heroes from Vaunth-on-the-Lake, became five Heroes of Maissen. Soon they were on their way, leaving Armis with his infant half-brother. They freed the elleefant, and the big beast stayed close to them for a while before wandering his own way. The rest of the day wore on peacefully, and by the time they settled for the night they were able to confirm one important fact.</p><p></p><p>The night sky had barely changed. Whatever magic made the days pass slower in Hilltopple house had not affected them. They had spent no more than most of a day there. They were still ten days outside Maissen. </p><p></p><p>The eleventh day of their adventure was refreshingly uneventful. Their journey had brought them into ancient, virgin forest, heavy with low fog and rabbits that watched their every step, but no adversaries. The next day the fog grew thicker, as did the rabbits. It seemed a legion of the animals was keeping track of the Heroes progress through the forest. The conditions were odd, but hardly worrisome.</p><p></p><p>Then they came to what may have been the tallest, oldest tree in the forest. It stood in the midst of a wide clearing, which is what led Ren to notice the what was strange about it. He’d looked up to the sky exposed by the clearing, happy to see it was properly blue and clear, and noticed the top of the tree. </p><p></p><p>It was unnaturally flat, as if a giant knife had cleanly sliced off the top quarter. That was strange enough, but Ren’s hunter’s eyes noticed a gleam of metal up there. It was a speartip! And it was moving back and forth.</p><p></p><p>“Someone’s marching guard duty,” he muttered to himself.</p><p></p><p>“What was that?” Madge asked.</p><p></p><p>Ren turned to her and, in a voice just loud enough for the others to hear, said, “We’ve come upon a civilization.”</p><p></p><p></p><p>[Tale continues on Post 57]</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Beale Knight, post: 1960344, member: 7033"] [b]03-04 Back to the wild[/b] 03 04 The others came out and gazed up at the sky with Ren. The flash from the departing najef had been so powerful, it took a moment for any of them to notice how the sky had suddenly changed. “The sun’s up,” Aneirin said. Madge blinked. “You’re right.” She furrowed her brow as she glanced over to the sun and then down to the shadows it cast. “It can’t be more than three hours past noon.” Ren shivered. “Praise to every single god out and above that we’re out of that place.” He paused. “We ARE out aren’t we?” Without waiting for an answer he sprinted to the main gate, shoved the locking bar to one side, and gingerly pulled. The gates swung open as if they’d been oiled yesterday. Beyond was the forest they stood in the day before. From close by was the bleating of a goat. “Jimmy!” Ren shouted. He ran out of the courtyard and found the group’s goat and wagon, both where they’d been secured the night before. From the debris field came a different noise. The high-pitched crying of baby. When the others walked to the ruins of the pyre where Lady Hilltopple had been wrongly burned to death, they saw him. An infant halfling, no larger than a two month old kitten and with almost as much hair. “She wasn’t lying,” Bessie whispered as she bent to pick the child up. Killian smiled. “Of course not. If she hadn’t been with child she would have been so wronged to return.” From the second courtyard there were happy shouts. “You did it! You really did it! The curse is lifted! Happy day! You - - - -“ Armis came to an abrupt halt as he saw Bessie, Madge, and Killian gathered together. They turned to face him, and his eyes fell on the bundle in the druid’s arms. “What - - “ “Armis,” Bessie said, “meet your brother.” She handed him over to Armis, who carefully cradled his brother in his arms. “My brother,” he whispered. He turned and slowly began to walk back to his house, followed by Bessie, Madge, and Killian. Aneirin stepped outside to join Ren. “You’re not going with them?” Ren collapsed onto the dirt with a happy smile. “No, those three can handle this. I want to just enjoy being where I’m supposed to be – in the real world.” Aneirin crossed his arms and stared into the distance. “The real world,” he said. “But not *my* real world.” Ren propped himself on his arms. His face and voice full of sympathy, he said, “I’m sorry, Aneirin. You got taken on a ride that you didn’t want, and ended up where you can’t go back.” The warrior from the past didn’t say anything for a long minute. Then he pointed south. “Is the thin valley still there?” “Yes, most of a day’s walk,” Ren said. “I’m not going to walk,” Aneirin said. He whistled a pattern of notes and turned to the hunter. “I’ll be back.” Ren nodded. “I hear you. Go. We can wait.” Avarshan trotted up beside her rider and Aneirin climbed on. He patted his mount and leaned to whisper in her ear. “Let’s ride.” And then they were off, sending a spray of dirt and grass behind them. “HE LEFT?!” Killian shouted. “He’ll be back,” Ren said. “We’ve got to get moving.” “We still have to load up the cart. He’ll be back before we’re ready to actually go.” “But…” Bessie put a hand on his shoulder. “We can wait. He just needs to clear his head.” “And come to terms with the stark truth of his situation,” Madge said. “Everything he knew is antiquated and everyone he knew is dead. He’s an orphan in the worst way. We can spare him the time to settle this within his soul.” “If he’s not back by the time we’re ready to go, we’ll go looking,” Ren said. “Or I can go now and you all can load the cart.” “You’re not getting out of that task,” Bessie said with a grin. Aneirin returned just as the last of the new supplies was being tied down. “Where do you go from here?” “North,” Ren replied. “We have a mission that takes us to the dwarves of the mountains. After that, we’re not sure.” “You’re welcome to come with us,” Bessie said. “Thank you,” the warrior said. “I will. The time will help me get used to the fact of my circumstances, and I surely do not care to return alone to a strange home.” With that, the four Heroes from Vaunth-on-the-Lake, became five Heroes of Maissen. Soon they were on their way, leaving Armis with his infant half-brother. They freed the elleefant, and the big beast stayed close to them for a while before wandering his own way. The rest of the day wore on peacefully, and by the time they settled for the night they were able to confirm one important fact. The night sky had barely changed. Whatever magic made the days pass slower in Hilltopple house had not affected them. They had spent no more than most of a day there. They were still ten days outside Maissen. The eleventh day of their adventure was refreshingly uneventful. Their journey had brought them into ancient, virgin forest, heavy with low fog and rabbits that watched their every step, but no adversaries. The next day the fog grew thicker, as did the rabbits. It seemed a legion of the animals was keeping track of the Heroes progress through the forest. The conditions were odd, but hardly worrisome. Then they came to what may have been the tallest, oldest tree in the forest. It stood in the midst of a wide clearing, which is what led Ren to notice the what was strange about it. He’d looked up to the sky exposed by the clearing, happy to see it was properly blue and clear, and noticed the top of the tree. It was unnaturally flat, as if a giant knife had cleanly sliced off the top quarter. That was strange enough, but Ren’s hunter’s eyes noticed a gleam of metal up there. It was a speartip! And it was moving back and forth. “Someone’s marching guard duty,” he muttered to himself. “What was that?” Madge asked. Ren turned to her and, in a voice just loud enough for the others to hear, said, “We’ve come upon a civilization.” [Tale continues on Post 57] [/QUOTE]
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Maissen: Shades of Grey [UPDATE 12/12, post 199]
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