Into the New World, Chapter 1: Amongst the Verdant Towers

[Shayuri]

Erin turns back to look into the room and shrugs.

"I honestly don't care which way we go," she says. "I'm a weaver. Rivers, forests...it's all the same to me."

 

[WarShrike]

Ryon gives Enko a huge smirk. "Enko, now is not the time to visit the bubbling springs. The darkness of night will fall all the more swiftly now with so much ash in the air, and so we must be off as soon as possible. As for the route, i am undecided, and therefore will not vote, but will follow the majority. For while i would prefer to cut through the forest, the fact that we would be in the open following the river means that unlike in the forest, we would actually be able to see the mountain. Ash or no, it probably burns still. Surely the closer we get, the more we will be able to see it. But under the trees, with the ash acting as a thatched roof, we will see nothing of the mountain or it's flames. The dark spirits in the forest will also be agitated by whats happenned. I believe they would be much more inclined to act irregularily, and therefore, differently than what we would expect, making the woods all the more dangerous. Therefore, as i said, i am undecided."

 

[Dire Lemming]

"N-no, that's not- I mean-" It looks like Erin has been trying to drown Enko in one of her dye vats.

 

[Lorthanoth]

Alistia thinks for a second and says, "I agree with Ryon; we have a map for the river, but Artemisia points out that we don't know for sure how we'll get to the mountain. We don't have a map of the forest but we have people who know it well. I really wish we could do both, send one group to follow the path of Old Man River and another to seek the trail in the forest, but... we can't do that."

She turns to Sotera and Pantheras, "If I may be so bold, what would you do in our place? We would value your counsel now."

 

[Zurai]

Finally Enko takes a deep breath and says, rather anticlimactically. "Artimisia, I- I need to speak with you... Before we make this decision." he is blushing very noticeably.

Artemisia stares at Enko long and hard, then whirls, her hair fanning out behind her, and heads for the hallway, jerkily motioning for him to follow.

[sblock=Enko]As soon as the door closes behind you, Artemisia lights into you. "Do you normally take things people tell you in confidence and blab it all to the next authority figure you see, or am I getting the special treatment?" Her voice drips with sarcasm.
[/sblock]

Alistia turns to Sotera and Pantheras, "If I may be so bold, what would you do in our place? We would value your counsel now."

Sotera grins and asks, "I'm a bit biased, don't you think?" She tosses her head, creating a fine spray of mist from her wet hair. "Obviously I would go by river."[sblock=Alistia and Cleyra]Her curious choice of words makes you wonder if she didn't mean that a little more literally than it seems.[/sblock]

Pantheras, on the other hand, slumps forward, resting his elbows on the table and shaking his head slowly. "If I were in your place, the expedition would fail regardless. I'm too old to go exploring unknown lands. Some days I'm lucky to make it here from my own home!" he chuckles drily. "I think Artemisia's words have merit. The direct route may not be the easiest, but it should by all rights be the quickest - and speed has a way of avoiding danger, sometimes. Not to mention... the sooner you soothe the spirits, the less danger we will all be in."

 

[Masquerade]

"Sotera..."

Cleyra proceeds reluctantly, hoping that she has not misunderstood. "Would you? Would you come with us until we part ways with the river?"

 

[Dire Lemming]

Enko is genuinely hurt by Artimisia's harsh words, and looks it. Despite his continued believe that what he did was right he cannot help but feel guilty. "I thought... well... I just thought that if another spirit talker spoke to Pantheras about it he might listen... It seems like it's important, and you said that you had not told him about what you felt yesterday..."

 

[Zurai]

Cleyra proceeds reluctantly, hoping that she has not misunderstood. "Would you? Would you come with us until we part ways with the river?"

Sotera smiles sadly, but it is Pantheras that replies in a firm voice, "No. Sotera must stay here, at Cuirlen." He offers no explanation, and the look on his face suggests that it would be unwise to ask for one.



[sblock=Enko]

Enko is genuinely hurt by Artimisia's harsh words, and looks it. Despite his continued believe that what he did was right he cannot help but feel guilty. "I thought... well... I just thought that if another spirit talker spoke to Pantheras about it he might listen... It seems like it's important, and you said that you had not told him about what you felt yesterday..."

She tries hard to continue being angry with you, but your hurt look and your apologetic tone quickly breaks down Artemisia's resistance. Her shoulders slump and the fire goes out of her eyes. "Enko..." she sighs softly, her head bent. "I told you last night that Pantheras thinks I'm delusional. Well... it goes a little further than that, I'm afraid. When my mother first brought me to him, he was angry. I've never seen him so angry since. He said that the spirits don't make mistakes, that no one can hear the spirits who wasn't blessed at birth, and that therefore I couldn't be hearing the spirits. He took me aside and told me... I was five years old... he told me that I was lying, and that if I kept lying I would be exiled."

Tears fill her emerald green eyes and trickle down her cheeks, while her voice grows hoarse and ragged. "He said that my family has always been trouble, and my mother was should have been exiled since she wouldn't ever say who my father was. He... he t-told me that if... if I ever told anyone ... he'd have us b-both exiled!" She whirls away from you as she breaks down completely, sobbing into her hands.[/sblock]

 

[Shayuri]

Erin rubs her nose and glances towards the hallway Artimisia and Enko vanished down.

"Fine, the fast way then. That sounds good to me too, as long as we can just go."

 

[Dire Lemming]

Enko starts to move towards Artimisia to... actually he doesn't know what. He stops and stares at her flabbergastedly. "B- but... ... ... Why would... That's..." After sputtering pointlessly for a few seconds, he again falls silent. How could this be true? Pantheras would never do such a thing, yet Artimisia wouldn't lie about such a thing either...

He slowly walks up beside her and puts a gentle hand on her shoulder. Wanting to simply embrace her, to reasure her that everything would be alright, but knowing of course that he couldn't. It was as likely as not that they wouldn't even be alive in a few days. "A- Artimisia? ... I ... I can't imagine why Pantheras would say such a thing... I... I won't say anything to him about this, I promise... You can't keep hiding this forever though. I have a feeling that this is important, will be important to us on this journey. Look, I..." Enko pauses abruptly looking for a moment even more pained than he had for Artimisia's sake this entire time. "I promise I won't let you, your mother, anyone, be exiled, never again... I..." He stutters to a stop, and looks nervous as if he has said more than he meant to.