




Tam Mhel Farshaw

There is always a Path

0 · 600 views · located in The World known as Tavia

a character in “Mirror's Edge”, as played by xXcandlejackXx


( WIP, feel free to tell me to change anything you'd like)

"There is always a Path."

♦ Name : Tam Mhel Farshaw

♦ Race : Altarin

♦ birth place : As'deen tribe of the Duvane Desert

♦ Sexuality : Polyamorous (Optional)

♦ Gender : Male

♦ Height : 6'2"

♦ Eye Color : icy blue

♦ Hair : unkept , Bronze / red with a clean shaven face.

♦ Belief system : A minor follower in the Almighty Flow.

♦ Appears to be : late 20's ( 28 winters)

♦ Personality : Being a wayfinder and As'deen , Tam tends to come across as cold, and unreadable. He is a cautious man who guards his personal life.
He has a sense of humor, tho you might have to be As'deen to appreciate it's dark nature. He is a fairly happy fellow, tho you might not be able to tell that at a glance. He has a very strong sense of what is right and wrong as do most As'deenains, as such they are oath bound to never lie under any circumstance.

♦ Appearance/ Attire :
Clothing wise, Cream colored flowing breeches are tucked into well made leather boots. A light brown sleeveless tunic is held with a dark brown scarf around his waste. The man is well built having a hard life , dark sun browned skin, and hard features make fore a fairly menacing presence. this coupled with the Tah'nish on the outside corners of his eyes tend to make people avert their eyes. Tho if you can get past these hard features he's actually fairly handsome by most standards.

Tattoo; scars : Tam, like many of the As'deen has various rune's and markings carved into his flesh, These are Tah'nish, and tell the story of the owners life.
Tho most of these remain on one's back, Tam has several on both forearms, and two markings under the outside corner of each eye.
Tattoo wise he has some of the Tah'nish colored in.

♦ Weapons / gear:
♦ Ghali :A long blade spear, with a metal shaft that flares out around the bottom before returning to a rounded point.
♦ Khill : A horn and bone short bow with a 60 lb draw weight.
♦ Zef'Ghali ; Small Ghali used for throwing, or sometimes used as knives.
♦ Bak : A small wooden shield that carries the Zef'ghali.

♦ History: Growing up, Tam was raised by the Dalh'nim, The Spear Maidens, a group within the tribe in charge of defending children and livestock when the men are out raiding. He was put through harsh training to hone his body and mind for life amongst the dunes. ( ends age 13)

Through his adolescence , he moved away from the Spear maidens to join the Farshaw, The scouts from which he received the title Farshaw, upon completing the 5 year trial, Far’shim.
This included raiding rival tribes, villages and mapping out the region, later he became the tribes main scout, the myn’farshaw an honnor amongst tribsmen.

Tho one evening , He was banished for killing a tribesman who carried no weapon, without cause. Well that was the reason, what actually happened was the man’s weapon had been picked up by another member of the clan who envied Tam’s position as the tribes myn’farshaw. Unable to prove his Honor in the matter , he accepted his banishment and left the As’deen to seek out a way to restore his honor. Since then he has wandered the region, as a guide , putting his skills as a Farshaw to use.

Other infomation : ( will be adding bits as the story progresses)

So begins...

Tam Mhel Farshaw's Story

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Mako "Mac" Mynvera Character Portrait: Tam Mhel Farshaw
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

< ooc: the following was a collective post in part by Jack, Perks, and Vole >

Azma, one of the most famous cities, at least this side of the world. Well built buildings reached into the sky, and seemed to stretch out in all directions as far as the eye could see… Narrow alleyways and corridors where anyone or anything could be hidden amongst the shadows.

A curse on this damn place… Tam thought bitterly, He’d only been here a few days, this Azma…

He missed the open spaces, the warm shifting sand, even the dense forest… as strange as they had been. But here he was, a fitting place to spend his banishment.

Thankfully there was work to be found here for a Farshaw, and paper for sale.

The desert dweller marched quietly through the crowds of people, carrying a stack of paper with him along with the rest of his gear. Spears, sheild, bow etc. There was a bubble around him, suspicion, people averted their eyes whenever his icy orbs met theirs. Maybe it wasn’t his eyes… but rather the runes carved into his flesh… Apparently Tah'nish, were not common around this land…

Tam’s eyes caught movement above the street, children jumping roof to roof… Such a strange land…
These boys should be home training… or with the Farshaw. Shaking his head disapprovingly he moved to find another Tavern or other like establishment that often attracted travelers. He had already been to several, leaving the slips of paper tacked to a wall with the owner's permission. Advertisements for his services as a scout and guide.

His nose caught a scene above the sweat and stank of the city, something sweet and earthy…
Bread, his stomach announced. He hadn't eaten recently, having not adapted to this side of the world's diet.

He followed the smell, weaving through roads, and back alleys, climbing over a couple of walls at a casual pace. Once he had stumbled upon a group of children and had to explain that he wasn’t anything to be terrified of…. It didn’t go well.. More rejection.

Feeling dejected he eventually found what he sought. The bakery. Liro Bakery to be exact.

He entered in and frowned…. Lopid…. Such an odd creature. Tam’s eyes quickly judged and dismissed the noisy thing as obnoxious. He waited til the creatures tirade ended before speaking with a presumed owner.

The desert dweller spoke, with a distinctively Tatcha accent “ May water and shade grace your roof.” he greeted the man behind the counter, ignoring the Lopid near completely.

The owner recognized the accent. "Tatcha huh? Haven't heard that accent in awhile. Anyways, what do you want? My son made some bread this morning that is still fresh, not sure how he does it".

Other Ghali (spear) brothers…? Strange I am not the first to cross this land… There may be hope yet. “ If I may have two, I wish to broker a kindness with a stranger.” He replied, preoffering a silver wrought chain as way of payment. The necklace was made of fine links over silver , overlapping much like chain mail to make a hoop.

"Well, how about some food first off? See anything you want other then two loafs of bread?"

Something other? Was his exchange to great? Hmm. Maybe that was why the man who traded the paper and ink fainted at the blood gems (rubies) …
The corners of his lips turned to a polite smile, as he searched the case.

“ May I? “ He asked pointing to some sort of pastry with custard coming out of sides.

"Sure" he mentioned. "What are you here for anyways?"

" Bread? " he looked up questioningly.

"I believe he means what you are doing here, in Azma," Mako says with a smirk, butting in on the exchange. "I am here on the trail of a place of legend, but I cannot say more than that in fear of wondering ears. You'll need to wait when my book gets published."

… the frog spoke… Tam’s sharp eyes leered at the being, as if challenging who had spoke to it and giving what permission, before turning back to the owner.

Frogs... publishing writing, HA, next they will claim the sun sets in the south and finger-less men* are trust worthy.

* Fingerless men, or people missing fingers are often mistrusted by As'deen as it is common practice to cut either bits or the whole finger from a person who lies, steals or cheats at dice. Lying takes one digit, giving a person 28 lies , and a whole finger for each time they are caught stealing. Dice cheating removes 5 fingers and is considered the most dishonest thing, Cheating is defined as altered dice, not slight of hand.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Emerin "Emry" Liro Character Portrait: Altian Acropaleus Character Portrait: Willow Character Portrait: Mako "Mac" Mynvera Character Portrait: Tam Mhel Farshaw
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Emerin tried to figure out a way to settle this peacefully and intelligently. She didn't come off as a threat to him, but he was still worried about a lot. Enough that magical energy was practically radiating magical pressure. So, his response was fairly straight forward. "Hey, I know! Why don't you come with us! Its safer to travel in larger groups anyways!"

Alt-Shu might be a bit upset with him for this, but Emry didn't know how powerful this guy was, and he figured it was the smart play. After all, Emry might be hot blooded, but he wasn't an idiot. He liked to stack the odds in his favor. Its not like he went around forgetting....

Alt-Shu came down with the journal. Oops, forgot that. As they all showed up, and with Willow in agreement to go with them (as I discussed earlier with Tali), Emry decided to open a portal and take them all to the Bakery. He couldn't normally open a portal to a place he could not see, but the Bakery was an exception. Instead of making anyone jump into the portal though, he moved the portal through them, having them appear in front of the bakery. "Okay, let me just get some stuff, and then we can head out".

As he walked in, he immediately noticed creepyguy and freaked out inside his own head. Emry used a Wind Magic technique, Wind Whisper, to secretly let Altian know. He snuck by, and managed to get the attention of his father, who quickly gave Emry a big hug. "Welcome back, son! Whats with the look on your face?"

"Me and Alt-Shu need to be heading out soon into the Misty Woods. Here, I will explain the situation to you" he told him, explaining the long story about everything. It wasn't that long, but still. Once it was one, he simply nodded.

"Well, you were getting impatient, so here" he said with a smile, giving him two packs full of stuff. He stored them both in his dimensional closet, via his portal magic. "It has clothes for all types of weather, a large supply of food, and a journal so you can keep records of your travels. I knew it would happen one day soon. Just promise me you will try to be safe".

"Yes, Papa" Emerin told him as he gave him a hug goodbye. "I promise I will look after the both of us".

"That's good. And don't worry, I can manage just fine on my own. Also here...." he said, taking out a blue vest like shirt. It was open in the front, and sleeveless. "To help hide the dragon so you will be harder to identify. Now, be safe. And just make sure to have fun, okay?"

He smiled, and gave him a hug goodbye, before rejoining the others. He was a bit emotional, and still on edge, so he was still radiating magic like crazy, that only those sensitive to it would realize though. "So, I guess its time to make our way through the Misty Woods. Then me and Alt-Shu need to reach The Library of Elliad, in the Gilded City". And hopefully, we lose that one guy that I can't help but notice is watching us even now, from across the street...

"So, anything else we need?"

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Emerin "Emry" Liro Character Portrait: Mako "Mac" Mynvera Character Portrait: Tam Mhel Farshaw
Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Mako nearly jumped at first when that blue haired boy entered the shop. He had forgotten why he came here in the first place becoming preoccupied with pastries. He tried to act inconspicious by pretending to browse, keeping an eye on father and son. When Emerin left, he gave a wistful expression and let out a sigh. The exchange reminded him of what he had left behind. The difference here was that nobody was begging the boy not to go. Ignoring the glares by Tam, he went up to the blue haired boy's father.

"Excuse me for intruding but that was your boy, wasn't it," he asks in a growingly sympathetic tone. "I had just arrived and yet... after such a short time I could tell that the people here... they really love him... willing to protect him."

With that he looms over the counter some. "When I left for a life of adventure, I was little older than he is now, and I had to peel myself away, I was begged to stay," he says, raising a brow, or would if he had one, and holds his hands out. "So... why?"

"Because one, I know better" he joked. "Plus, it was clear from his expression this wasn't an optional choice of his. He has to do this, for a few reasons, but a new reason seems to have come up that made it urgent. And considering how he explained things to me, I agree with him. And the reason the people love him so much is because he best represents what Azma truly is. Besides, it clear by his eyes. I just wish I could do a little more to help, but I raised him so well, he is pretty much his own man. Though, he definently gets credit as well. He really is an exceptional kid, and for that matter, so is his friend, Altian".

"I can see that clearly now, it is as if he's the heart of Azma," Mako says with a chuckle, before giving a downcast expression. "But he is still just a boy, as I was, and he will see things both amazing... and terrifying. I will not lie, either, I came here on a trail of a certain interest, and found that boy of yours in a fight with a rather nasty fellow, he handled himself well enough, the guy was just a thug, a real pushover but... well, I suppose you may know where this is going... there will come a time when it isn't just a thug. You know this, right?"

"Well to be honest, Emerin has enough raw magical power to be a force of reckoning of his own. To be honest, he has been ready for this adventure for the past two years. And when he is with Altian, who is pretty much a super genius, the two of them are a force that could probably rival a Royal Guard. Trust me, doubting them is the last thing you should do. Besides, if my boy had been really trying, I would know it. I doubt he even used his most powerful spell, cause that is something that draws attention".

"I have no doubt if I could do it alone, they could do it together. It is just that reading about the world and experiencing it are two different things. I'm just saying..." he says as he straightens up. "Them kids, despite all their power and smarts still need someone who's been there, seen it, done it, lived it. Y'know, a guardian who can pick them up in case they fall. I admit there's personal interest in this, I'm not one to lie, but I don't know, kid's a treasure in his own right for the people here, and I, Mako, renowned adventurer and treasure hunter, want to see him succeed."

"Well, I cant really pay you, but if your offering to help him, I won't say no. He might be a little bit stubborn on the matter though, but so long as you dont muck up the first impression, it should be easy" he said unknowingly.

"Yeah, heh, sure," he responds awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. He then behins checking his bag and putting some more coins out before Emerin's father. "And as for pay, I should rather pay you, here, take this as for being a good father and listener, I'll make sure you will get to see your boy again." He then just heads out, taking a moment in passing to take one final glance at the bakery before tracking where Emerin went.

Characters Present

Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Tam watched as the younglings whirl-winded by, they were planning a trip to the misty woods it seemed. A apt journy for the youngones… Tho where their watchers* were Tam couldn’t say… Strange that the boy’s father would allow him on such a trip with not a care. Tams mind wandered through various paths that the youth might tread. Fairly safe so long as they kept east…

None of my buisness----


…. That was through the As’deen land…

Turning quickly , Tam followed the young man, tho his eyes caught sight of the Crotayin. At least they have a watcher… This softened an otherwise harsh scorn from his voice.

“ Younglings , I did not mean to spy , however; do you really think you’ll be allowed to cross As’deen land and the great sands ? With no permission? Do you know where water and shade are? “ The large sun bronzed man looked down at the boy with a hardened face, tho his eyes were touched with honest concern.

“ The Misty Wood is far enough for an adventure younglings, You would not have to prove your manhood by venturing there , even with able company” he nodded to the Crotayin cautiously not wanting to offend her honor.

As he spoke and listened to the young man, he could not help but overhear the Lopid again… such an irritating creature…
“ Do you really wish that thing… as your watcher as well?” He added in a softer tone, leaning over the young man a bit , shaking his head in Mac’s direction.

Watches* people, typically young adults , who follow younglings to make sure they do not get into more trouble than they can handle, or bring back the bodies of the younglings should they do just that...

Characters Present

Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Okay, first things first. Altian began scouring the room in search of something he knew was in here...something he knew they couldn't leave without. He had to be careful, though. Although he knew this particular item he was searching for wasn't enchanted, a large variety of items in this room were and he had to be careful not to touch them. While this was one of the safest places in Azma to store anything of worth, champions still put safeguards on their items to protect them in case the worst happened. It would not be a pretty fate for anyone who dared to try and use them and Alt definitely didn't want to discover protection enchantment spells by experience.

He climbed onto the rolling book ladder and rolled his way across, looking for the familiar cover. He often times scanned through books like this because he could do it, it was faster, and it was more fun than scanning through them the traditional way. Besides, this way he didn't have to touch any of them. Faster he went until...

Aha! He spotted the light tan cover and plucked the book from it's slot in the bookshelf. He hopped off the ladder and examined it, just to make sure he picked out the right one. Sure enough, he recognized the light green ink scribbled on the cover which read: Alticus's Log. On the spine were the words "Misty Woods: Flora and Fauna Part I". He pocketed the journal in his massive cargo pants pocket.

He remembered meeting the Altarin when he was six. He walked right in and handed him the book, asking him if he could get his parents to put it in the "special library" as he described it to the little boy. When Alt had asked him what was in it, Alticus smiled and said, "Just a few things about the Misty Woods and the plants and animals that live there. It's not complete, but I want to keep the information safe in case the worst fate fall upon me. I will be back to claim it soon!"

Alticus never returned to the library, meaning he likely perished or worse. But his knowledge would not be lost or unused. Altian would make sure of that.

As he closed the door and locked it behind him, Alt trotted on down to the second floor, figuring out what other books they would need. They were going to the Gilded City, so he took a book detailing the city landmarks. He also grabbed a comprehensive demographic encyclopedia of Glideen, the kingdom in which they were traveling to. In it detailed all the cities, landmarks, and important information about the kingdom, something he wanted to keep handy just in case. He grabbed a book on surviving in the wild without using magic, a book on surviving in the wild with using magic, a book on advanced defensive spells and techiques, and finally a fictional novel about an anthropomorphic creature from another dimension who fought crime in an urban sprawl.

Fru-Fru the Wonder Hamster, don't fail me now...

He wasn't worried about clothes. He had set up a rune to his closet a while back that allowed for easy access to his wardrobe wherever he went. He also wasn't worried about food or water. He knew Emry-Shu's dad would've packed a ton of each for the two of them to take with them. He put the books in his pack as well as an empty canteen and an herbal medicine kit...just in case. He tapped his ear to make sure his pen was still there, which it was. He also grasped hold of the White Teardrop necklace he always wore around his neck. He never knew the story behind it or why he got it, but his parents refused to tell him why he had it. It didn't affect his magical or physical abilities in any way as far as he knew. He still wore it for good luck, however.

Finally, he was ready...well almost. One last thing had to be done as he grabbed his pen and a parchment and proceeded to write. After a few minutes of scribbles, he sighed and clicked the pen, placing it on his familiar perch behind his ear. He read the words over and over again, a sense of nervousness and excitement, joy and sadness, all rushing through him at once. Don't cry...

He placed the parchment behind the desk, and walked away, joining Willow and Emry-Shu. "Alright, I'm ready," he said with sure confidence.

Dear Mom and Dad,

I am going away for awhile. It appears that my adventure has begun. I know you two are the worrying type and I figured I shouldn't just leave without leaving something for you guys to find. I won't be alone though. Emry-Shu is coming with me. You guys knew how strong he is at using magic, so rest assured I should be fine in his company. We have each other's backs always, anyway. You guys have prepared me for this moment. It's time I used all this knowledge I have learned. I wish I could see your faces just one more time before I left. But I know you'll be rooting for me wherever you guys are. Thanks for everything. I love you guys!

Altian Acropaleus

Teleporting to Liro Bakery, the first thing Altian noticed as Emry-Shu ran to hug his adoptive father was the Lopid, the same one from the market earlier. He tensed up immediately, keeping an eye on his movements as he walked through the bakery. He heard Emry-Shu's Wind Whisper and responded accordingly, letting Emry-Shu know he would take care of him should he dare try anything towards them.

But another figure caught his attention...a being he didn't expect to see here. He was Altarin, he could see that much. But the markings on his arms and legs...the way the patterns seemed to merge with one another, as if they were to be read like a story. He was from the As’deen land, which was most peculiar indeed. Not many of them wandered out to the far reaches of Azma. He was curious what he was doing here.

He really wished he had packed a book on the As’deen people...

The Altarin approached them as they were discussing locations. Alt knew he could trust this one. The As’deen people swore an oath to never lie, he knew. And he was interested in learning a bit more about them, what their practices were, etc. It was hard to come across information about them.

Altian turned to Emry, "We can trust him. He is of the As'deen Tribe. They live a virtuous and honorable life. And I hadn't even considered how we were going to get across the Duvane Desert without raising the attention of the people there. He could be our escort."

Characters Present

Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Willow was a little disappointed to find the Flow had decided to abruptly end her little planned getaway to Azma. She'd not got to do half of the things she wished, nor even probably a quarter of them. It seemed she'd have to put a hold on finding the tea house and visiting the hot spring, at least until she returned. Fortunately, she'd already got to replenish most of her supplies, as well as picking up a few knickknacks along the way. Anything else, she figured she could scavenge from the Forest. The Almighty Flow would provide, and she was not about to travel against it. Else she'd go find her tea house right then

Eventually, they traveled to the bakery that Emerin's, the other child's name, father owned. While the child went inside to speak to his father and collect supplies, Willow wandered to the other side of the street where, as luck would have it, a tea house was situated. Glancing around, she took the opportunity to dash inside and order a cup. Moments later, she emerged with a cup of hot white tea cradled in both hands, filled with plenty of sugar. She exited the tea house just in time to see Emerin do the same from the bakery, and they reunited outside on the street.

Willow took a sip of the tea, but recoiled a moment afterward. It wasn't the taste, the taste was glorious. It was the wafting off of it, in a dessert city. To fix it, Willow rotated the cup in her hand a drew a bit of magic to her hands. Frost quickly lined the rim as the steam quickly stopped rising. Taking another sip, she smiled, content with her now cooled tea. “He's not wrong,” Willow cooed in agreement with the As'Deen, almost sagely. The Misty Wood would be dangerous alone, not to mention the desert beyond that, as the As'Deen alluded to. Willow had a sneaking suspicion though, that the man's warning would go unheeded, the children seemed the headstrong sort. Despite their apparent age, they seemed rather powerful considering, but she had only witnessed their spat with the knight and nothing else. It was perhaps a good thing that the Flow dragged her into their journey.

However, she did not know if their paths would diverge or continue at pace after she had completed her ritual in the Misty Wood. They could decide to leave her during the day she needed to spend mediating, and that thought worried her a little. Upon his mention, Willow glanced up to look at the Lopoid before quietly chuckling to herself. After she took another sip from her cup, she spoke again. “I dunno, I think he's kinda cute. You know, in that lovable puppy that always follows you type of way. Though... fishier in this case,” Willow amended before chuckling again.

The same thought that came to Alt, came to her, which caused the ears on top of her head to stand up and her tail to swish back and forth. “Why not join us then, Wayfinder?” She asked. While admittedly she did not know the context of the markings on his skin, she knew of the As'Deen, and their prowess of pathfinding. At the very least, he'd be a nice addition to their rather... colorful band, which included the Lopoid. He seemed like the stubborn type.

Characters Present

Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

As he took in everything, and as everyone relied in after another before he could get a word in, he made some realizations....and was set off by something else.

"First of all, before I react to that silly comment you just made" he said while facing Tam, he then turned to face Willow. "I just realized, as the one person here who hasn't insulted me, has been really nice, and isn't acting like a stalker, I should have properly introduced myself but I never did earlier. The name is Emerin Liro of Azma, but my friends call me Emery or Emry, it is a pleasure to meet you". Emerin did not bow, or look up at her, but figuratively speaking, you could tell by his voice he did not look down on her either. He also left out all the names the Children of Azma call him, cause he found those embarrassing. Then, he faced the Wayfinder again.

"Lets get one thing clear, if anything, me and Alt-Shu are the ones taking care of or watching you. Alt-Shu is a super genius who is smarter then all of us here, probably all of us here combined, and is great with magic in his own way, not to mention he knows how to counter all sorts of things and is great at reacting. And me..." he started, when he noticed the condemned building being taken down by workers. They were making room to build a new building. He went over there, and after saying a few words, they all got out and away from the site. The building might be condemned, but it was made with stone, and was still good, just not what the new owner of the land needed. So Emerin decided to do these hard working men a favor. "...well, one theory we came up with as to why my body is so light I can fly, is that maybe it has a lower density because I have so much magic stored within me. The Windbreaker you saw before....was not even at half power. Didn't want to cause any destruction or harm to others, you see. But since no one is in here and this building is slated for demolition...".

Suddenly, a large torrent of wind consumed Emerin's bare arm. He had to admit, the new shirt his father had just given him was nice, but he already missed feeling the full force of the wind. Still, they were about to go on a journey, so Emerin had to be used to that anyways. As the wind charged to unbelievable levels to those who have not lived in Azma, Emerin made sure to stop before he got close to full power. He then punched forward. "Windbreaker!"

The Windbreaker drilled through the stone, and cracked the whole building. Emerin then bent the Windbreaker so it moved back and forth, until a few seconds later, the whole building was rubble. He turned around to face them, a look of fierceness in his eyes...but behind that, one of loyalty, honor, and truth, more then enough to state he was not threatening anyone.

Emerin had only used Windbreaker at the full power he could muster once. Three years ago, when he was seven, it had been a really hot day, the hottest most of them had ever felt, so him, Alt-Shu, and a few others went down to the river, stripped off their clothes, and went swimming in it. While in the river, they encountered a giant fish, and so the group made a game of it. They all decided to try and catch it without using any magic or special abilities or anything, just their bare hands. While it had been evasive, Alt-Shu had come up with a plan that he and Emry used to help corner and catch the fish with their bare hands. Someone nearby had been watching, and he was so impressed, he used a magic tool and took a picture of Emry and Alt holding the fist above their heads. Of course, he wasn't a creep, so the picture only showed their torsos up, so no one could see they were naked, but everyone was smiling that day from their catch.

However, soon after, they were attacked by slavers who had also been watching, to see if they were good targets. They figured it was the best time to attack, but since none of them had used magic to catch the fish, none of them were expecting Emerin or Altian. As they popped out of the sand itself and ran towards the children, he saw three of them running for him and Altian, and out of concern for his friend, unleashed a full powered Windbreaker, hitting each and every slaver with it and sending them flying, while saving everyone else. Emerin kept that photo with him at all times, in his pocket, because it reminded him of that time at the river, and just how capable he really was.

He looked back at Altian first, then Willow, and then back at the Wayfinder. "I trust Alt-Shu's judgement though, so if he says its okay, and this nice woman as well, then fine. But don't assume we are helpless because of our ages. Me and Alt-Shu can take care of ourselves, and the only two people allowed to take care of me in any capacity is my papa, and Alt-Shu".

Emerin was a bit of an oddball. He hated being looked down on or being looked up to, but if his abilities are quested he is not afraid of showing off. In fact, he loves it. He hates being seen as a caretaker, but he loves to protect and care for people. He was hot headed, but kind. Reckless, but responsible.

As he was about to leave, a few of the orphans of the city had gathered to say goodbye. Emry then looked at the others, and then back to the orphans, and spoke to them eye to eye. "Don't worry, you will all be fine. The main reason we are leaving though is that we do not know the resources and the capabilities of everyone after what we discovered have, and we cannot guarantee everyone's safety. If they are strong enough, the fights could risk the lives of the people around us, or they might target you all if we stay. That is why me and Alt-Shu have to leave. But keep practicing, and stay strong. I know you all are more then capable of it. After all, you, me, all of us, no matter who we were born to, what type of family we came from, and what our strengths and weaknesses are, we are the Children of Azma. We are the Children of City, belonging to everyone and no one. We are independent and united. Even if we are weak, we are strong. Even if we are short, we are tall. Even if we are dumb, we are wise....or you can always go to Alt-Shu for help". The last part wasn't intended to be part of the motto, but the joke stuck because of how true it was. "Well, his parents will still be here, so they will help you. After all, we do not envy those who have parents, get adopted, or know their family, because we are all our family....and Alt-Shu has done more then enough to earn our friendship, thanks, and gratitude". He turned to face Alt-Shu. "I would trust him with my life".

As they nodded, they handed him a bag of gold. "No, this is what you earned, I will be fine with what I have..."

"No, please. We heard enough, you are going to find where you came from, right? Well, if you do, and you decide to stay there, consider this our payment, for your promise that if you do find a home, we can come and live with or near you, okay?"

Emry smiled. "Of course then. And thank you".

As he stood up and walked towards the group and the exit to Azma, a passerby brushed his hair a little with his hand. "Careful, you talk like that, and someone might think you are a prince....or a King...."

For a moment, the man, who was wearing a cloak so Emry couldn't get a good look at him, sounded familiar....but he shook his head. "No, couldn't be". He then joined the others, and started walking towards the path to the Misty Woods. "Well, we better get going!"


About an hour after they left, the same cloaked man met with another agent. "You sure do like being reckless. Anyways, what is your interest in that boy, your Majesty, King Ordin Okaba, King of these great lands and cities of Ashara?"

"I met him once before. I grew interested when I heard one boy had organized the Orphans of Azma together into this group known as the Children of Azma. Just like now, back then much like other desert children, he didn't wear much clothing, so I got a good look at it once. That Dragon on his back. And it appears others have taken notice too now. That boy, he doesn't even realize what he is...or what is in store for him".

"Then why not have a member of the Royal Guard escort him if he is that important?"

"Because one, he is like me. I can tell he wants to do things himself" he mentioned, causing his friend to make a "really?" expression. Sometimes he felt like the king could be a bit too lax. "Plus, it would draw too much attention. But, I want you to shadow them from afar, outside of the range of their magic, using that special skill you can use. Only interfere if another member of anyone's Royal Guard does in a way that threatens them directly. Otherwise, even if it looks like they might die, do not interfere, or even be noticeable".

"Why do you have this much faith in a child? He isn't your son or something, is he?"

"Lets just say he is important" the King replied, before walking off. Meanwhile, the other man rushed off, to track them from afar. It was likely he would not become involved or notice for quite some time however....

Characters Present

Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

The desert dweller offered a kind smile to the white wolf. “ Well met, may you find shade and water. If the lady finds him amusing as a pet , I am not the one to argue.” He said, bowing his head slightly.

But the smile faded quickly as he watched the frog stir. Tam had agreed to join their party, tho not without speaking his mind about the boys show of force making his feelings painfully clear. It hadn't had the impact the boy had been looking for, if anything it had the opposite. Power with no caution was worse than being powerless and cautious he had explained. And weather he liked it or not Tam was going to provide that caution.

Even if the Frog had managed to come along… through their walk tam had gone out of his way to stay on the other side of the group from the Lopid. The man had spoken little since the boy’s displace, but seemed to watch everything, every snap of twig, rustle of grass, but it was not a fear, more like direction potential sudden violent action kept back by the finest of tripwires.

When Tam finally did speak it was to Willow.
“ If I may, what is your name White wolf, where do you come from and where are you going?” He said , curiosity edged into his measured tone tho his eyes never rested on one spot for too long.

Characters Present

Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

With a tilt of her head, she returned the Wayfinder's bow and then she smiled and sipped on her tea once more as she listened to Emerin speak. Bold again was the word she found herself thinking when he spoke, and chances were it wasn't the last time she'd think he would've made a good monk She watched him demolish a building with a gross display of power with an arched brow. “A little unnecessary,” she chuckled as she sipped.. Eventually, after Emerin gave a spiel to the orphans who'd came to see them of, they finally began to make forward progress toward the Misty Wood.

Her ears twitched and her tail swished from the prospect of conversation. Traveling to the Almighty Flow's whim meant that she usually wandered alone, and it had been a while yet since she'd held a actual conversation. “Me?” she asked, though she knew that no one else could've fit the description of white wolf. Which reminded her, she opened her pocket dimension a she spoke, “Oh, well my name is Willow.” She said with a bright smile as she reached into the portal to retrieve her white cloak again. She dare not wander too far without it, lest she risk even more sunburns. “And I come from a little monastery near the coast, devoted to the Almight Flow.”

After she took the moment to throw the cloak over her shoulders, she began to speak again. “As for where I'm going?” at that, she shrugged, “I suppose wherever the Almighty Flow believes that I need to go,” she hesitated there for a moment. “Though, presently, she added, “I'm planning to test my favor with the Flow within the Misty Wood,” she said with pride. “I hope to find a place where the magic currents converge in the Woods and meditate there. Or... Rather, that's the plan,” she said with coy grin. Plans, expecially her plans, were always subject to change.

Characters Present

Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

He had last spoken an introduction again after Emerin offered his, in usual fashion, with full title and flair. Though it may have once again been at a loss. Since then he had been deep thought, on how Emerin spoke back then to the orphaned children. Mako had felt it as well, to him it was painfully obvious that people would be after him, and far less caring what means they used to get their hands on the boy.

Of all his travels, no trap was more deadly, and no beast more twisted than the hearts of some people. Those lesser men who hide in the shadows like scavengers, preying upon weakness, jumping at any chance to fatten their wallets or increase their power. Dark... There were those that didn't care if they were women or children. Dark... twisted...

He was suddenly broken from his thoughts, deeper in them than he'd realized. He had been quiet for quite some time now, he had been daydreaming this whole time. He glanced across, hearing the As'deen tribesman, Tam, and the Crotayin wolf who he recalled calling him a lost puppy earlier. He found this more amusing than offensive, imagining himself as a tail wagging land mammal, how absurd! The desert dweller obviously wasn't as kind, his words were without any subtlety, but as long as it was directed at just him, he wasn't going to make issue of it. It wouldn't be his first time receiving flak for his race, wouldn't be the last.

"Excuse me, but the Flow you say, miss Willow," he queries breaking his awkward bout of silence. "You are among those that believe in magic as a living being, are you not?"

He glances past Tam, maintaining distance to try not to aggravate him further or incite any aggressive response.

"If I may say something on the matter, and mind you, I am no follower of the Flow," he mutters some, scratching the back of his neck thinking on what to say. "But to me, at least, I find it more impressive that there are people who see magic as just something dumb or lifeless, like a tool. Then again, many people are more preoccupied watching their own feet than to look up and see anything beyond their own little bubbles."

Then as quick as he finished he grinned and shrugged his shoulders. "But eheh, sorry for butting in on you guy's conversation like that, just found it interesting, is all." With that he looked ahead, at Altian and Emerin, then around at the surroundings. "You know, it is embarrassing to say, but in all my travels I had never been to the Misty Woods before. Honestly, I'm excited!"

Characters Present

Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Altian watched from the side with mild interest as Emerin proceeded to level the building that was already scheduled to be taken down. He'd seen him in action before, like that time when they fought those slave traders. He himself had a fairly strong Wind Breaker, but it paled in comparison to this kind of power. He could have all the smarts he wanted, but he would never have the kind of natural ability his best friend had. And the best part was...

He knew Emry was still holding back.

Alt chuckled at the mentioning of having guardians. It was true that the two of them could do this quest alone if they wanted to and likely succeed. But there was strength in numbers, a value that couldn't be ignored in the ultimate equation. Each individual here brought something else to the table...he could feel it. Yes, even the shifty Lopid. Sure, Emry had a point. With just the two of them, they could accomplish what they wished and more. But with five of them...

They would be nearly unbeatable.

Altian stood off to the side as the swarm of orphans all united under Emry crowded up around him to say goodbye. After all, he was a very loved figure in Azma. His face disappearing from the city markets would surely leave a hole in many a person's heart. Especially the Children of Azma, whom which he'd united under one protect each other. Now that knowledge was going to be put to the test. They would have to band together while they went off on their adventures, fending for themselves and having each other's backs...just like the two of them did on a daily basis.

He couldn't help but think back to the time when he and Emry had the idea. It was about four years ago, two years after they had met. Already, they had a conglomeration of kiddies behind them. All of them were orphans minus Altian. They were relaxing in the hot springs, a place that was a typical favorite spot for Alt and Emry. But it had just been the two of them at that point. Sure, they were friends with all the other kids, but him and Emry practically did everything together...just the two of them.

They were soaking up the nutrients that healed their aching bones and gave them energy. They had just gone hiking into the jungle, not too far from the city, to test a new river for fishing. The fact that they hiked the full three miles there and back to come up empty-handed showed how well that endeavor went. But they enjoyed the journey and had a good time. Plus, it was far enough away that they were a little bit reckless in using their abilities.

Suddenly, Emerin spoke, "We should invite the other kids up here."

Alt had mixed feelings about the idea, "You think?"

"Well, yeah," Emry turned to Alt, confusion on his face, "You don't think so?"

He could easily see through Alt's tone of hesitation towards the idea and Alt knew it. They knew each other too well. There were no secrets. And Alt didn't plan to keep any, "It's not that I'm not for the idea. I just hadn't considered it. But...well, this is our spot, Emry-Shu."

"Why can't it be our spot with everyone else?"

"I mean, it can," Alt shrugged, "I'm just...worried is all."

"About what?"

"Well, if we invite the other kids up here, then we lose our spot. Then where are we going to go to hang you, just you and me?" Alt shifted his weight to stare at Emry, who was still floating in the pool, "I don't want to lose you as a friend."

The moment that last sentence came out, Emry started laughing. Alt crossed his arms and scowled, "What's so funny?"

Through uncontrollable giggles, Emry replied, "THAT'S what you're worried about? Really?"

Alt looked puzzled, a face he rarely made ever, and it has only been made in front of Emry. His best friend wiped a tear from his eye as he explained.

"'re always going to be my best friend. No matter what. Ever since the day we met, I knew we were. But we can't hog places for ourselves. That's selfish. The hot springs deserve to be enjoyed by all our friends, not just you and I."

Altian sighed as he nodded his head in agreement, "Yeah, you're right. I'm acting like a bataka, aren't I?"

Emerin stirred from his floating position to swim over to Alt and pat his shoulder, "You are no bataka. You are Alt-Shu, the smartest and greatest person I've ever known. And we will have each other's backs...always."

Alt, feeling much better, grasped his best friend's shoulder, "Always."

After that, the kids were united together as the Children of Azma. Emry made a fantastic leader for them to follow while Altian was the guide for the directions they should take. And as a group, the Children of Azma have since become a formidable force for any slave trader or prideful knight to take on. Because when you messed with one of them, you messed with all of them.

"...Even if we are dumb, we are wise....or you can always go to Alt-Shu for help."

Alt winked at them in response as a few of the kids turned to face him. A couple chuckled at Emerin's words. Most of the kids had tears in their eyes. But they had strong spirits and good hearts, Alt knew. And with their motto to live under, nothing should tear them apart.

They would do fine.

After waving final goodbyes to people, Emry, Alt, Mako, Tam, and Willow were off to the Misty Woods. Alt, for the most part, disregarded all conversation between everyone as they got there. Instead, he pulled out the journal and started reading everything he could. On occasion, he'd get so involved with it that he'd wander a bit from the group, to which Emry had to keep a close eye on him and drag him back to the company of everyone else. At times, it would get annoying. But once Alt started reading, it took ten times the power of Emry's Windbreaker to snap him out of it.

He would sometimes grab the map to the Misty Woods, making notes from the journal and putting annotations in proper places as he went along. What berries would be safe to eat and what berries wouldn't. Certain landmarks that weren't put on the map already. Even general areas to find certain creatures that resided in the Misty Woods. Except the most notorious of them all...

"I've flipped through this thing inside and out," Alt began to hold the book at random and various vantage points as if to illustrate the thought, "But there is nothing about where the Akrnara live in here. Perhaps that was the reason Alticus went missing..."

Characters Present

Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

As they continued to travel through the Misty Woods, Emerin only grew more and more excited. This was it! The ground under his feet, and the wind in his hair. The start of their journey! He was getting so excited, he could barely contain his energies. Actually, he was failing partially at that, because his dragon tattoo was more lit up then a Christmas tree. He was just so happy. But as they continued, Emerin also grew a bit more worried about what the people behind them was waiting for. He counted fourteen of them in total, a feat which would have been impossible if he was only using his senses of sight and sound. But he had one magic based technique even their advanced concealment magic was not countering. Still, it was impressive. Emerin had to check one thing though, to confirm their identity.

He rummaged around his dimensional closet while they walked, until he found what he was looking for. A Magic Tool that his father got for them. They looked like a pair of normal goggles, but once he put them on, he confirmed. THey were not even leaving heat signatures. He also confirmed that hidden behind the mist, there seemed to be hundreds of creatures around them, but they were so weak, not a single one dared to attack them for some reason. Then it occurred to Emerin, he was giving off a magical signature strong enough to mimic their predator's predator. Still, at least he did confirm their identities...if he was remembering what Alt-Shu told him right.

They were sitting on the fountain in their shorts, dunking their heads in the water to fight the heat. "What do you mean, a new type of magic Alt-Shu?"

"It seems to be called Shadow Magic, and it was invented by slaves who used it to revolt and take over the kingdom. Apparently, some of it is mind magic, but it also involves manipulating shadows themselves. Not only can they use it to make themselves completely invisible, but you won't even be able to hear their footsteps or heartbeats, and even their magical presence is completely masked! They can also use it to manipulate people's hearts and minds too. I am not sure I want to learn it though...."

As the blue haired boy looked at the sun, Emerin got concerned. "Why not, Alt-Shu?"

"Apparently, you have to be a slave or an Ex-Slave in order to learn it, no one is sure why".

"Makes sense. I am sure you will find your own way, though. You are Alt-Shu after all!" he said, splashing some water in Altian's direction while having a big smile.

He looked back at Altian and the three others, and then around them once more. So, their agents are using shadow magic huh? Very well, I will let them make the first move, given their pasts, but I don't trust them. Just something about them. Well, I still have my unique method to track them.

When Altian mentioned not knowing where Akrnara live here, Emerin had a strange idea why. "Alt-Shu, I get the feelings that's because they live everywhere. We have been surrounded for some time now, but most of them seem to be too afraid of us, or waiting for something, nothing around us I can definitively say is Akrnara. I know they are there, but this mist...things native to this forest are hard for me to keep track of, though this isn't much of a surprise for me, but its like the mist itself is trying to enshroud me and suffocate me..."

"However, I can tell that recently, quite a few large, hungry beasts have surrounded us" Emerin then added. And those guys are still waiting behind us. The situation isn't ideal, but....I give our chances of defeat at zero percent, I think. There is one guy that is puzzling me...why does he...

Suddenly, Emerin spotted it. Something large moving through the mist. "Alt-Shu, have you managed to identify anything around us? Are they threats, or are they just going to keep....watching us? Its getting kind of annoying".

Emerin kept a spell charged just in case regardless though.

Characters Present

Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

( joint post between me and Vole)

Tam watched with curiosity as she pulled the white cloak from the air, strange thing, who wished for a white cloak of all things?
“Willow, white cloak of the coastal monastery.” He said to him self, setting her name into his mind.

“ You seek to find favor with the flow as well? The Dalh’nim of my people venture to the hand of Dalh , and meditate at it's highest point. I’ve not been there myself, but my spear sister said she could never describe the colors. “ He looked around odd … It was quiet. No birds chimed in with the wind.

Tam rolled his shoulder, as if he might have a crick in his neck before fingering the long blade on the tip of his spear. Someone was watching them..

Tam’s icy orbs watched the Lopid as he spoke, a slightly raised eyebrow was all the outward expression he gave. The lopid had gained some respect in tam’s eyes, but as the Lopid spoke on, he undermined him self in that regard. Talking about one’s own bubble as if that comment would not have been caught.

Seeing as he was likely going to have to deal with the thing a while longer than he wished he figured ‘some’ manners were in order.
“ You spoke of writing a book, wh---- “ He cut off as the boys spoke.

“ The Akrnara are not as simple as you would think… I have seen the lost of many before their claws. “ he said ,the very edge of sadness crept into his voice, tho when he returned his attention to the Lopid it was as it had never been.

" Pardon," He lead " What sort of writing do--- your people do?" He said, tip toeing around the words clearly, it was an attempt at being polite as he could with out lying to him self.

"My p- ah... well, put simply, I am writing about my travels and what I've seen," he says, but then waves his hand. "Putting it less simply, I am writing about places long abandoned by people, either by the culture's destruction, or just abandonment for one reason or another. Recording what I can decipher of old text and offer something definitive where most history is lost."

Tam followed the creatures words with curiosity.
" A very narrow, yet broad topic. That is not something one stumbles upon by their lonesome. What swayed you to take on such an endeavor?" He asked, tho as he asked his eyes searched the shadows around them, something had broken a twig, yet did not stir after as if trying to remain quiet... The knuckles on his spear flashed white but other than that he did not stir... Tho he seemed on edge of violent action, tho when As'deen didn't seem that way was rare.

" Do not stirr Lopid, Willow.... but I think eyes are upon us.. I cannot say what, but be aware..." He said in a hushed tone before looking at the creature expectantly, he was waiting on an answer for his questions.

"Yes, and the mist itself is strange, almost stifling," he says, taking a moment to shift his eyes. He decided to respond to Tam's question. He reached to his back and pulled out a strange black knife from a makeshift sheath. It had a strange twisted design to it, a shallow curved blade with various twisted teeth, and a looped pommel. It lacked any visible inscription, just an empty hole in its hilt where something was once held. "My inspiration was this, I had found it in a forgotten tomb that had sunk into the ocean. It was my first discovery, and yet I've found nothing similar to it, no clues to who once held it nor the culture surrounding it."

A vexed expression washed over the sun bronzed man's face.
" Be wary, Mako Mynvera of the Lopid, weapons laid to rest , will wish to remain in the hand of it's owner... or within those who wretched it from it's place..." he cautioned.... The As'deen were buried with their weapons, and believed that they would raise again when the need was greatest.

He had started to look deeply at the blade, as if transfixed briefly. "It wasn't exactly my first choice, I don't know what brought me to wrench it from those hands, it just started to feel like something that had to be." He looked up and rubbed his forehead and eyes. "Plus, it has been broken, see? There was something in this hoop here, and there was no trace of it in the tomb, I would imagine such a piece is still out there somewhere."

Tam eyed the steel like a viper. " Great ira( As'deen for vengeance, hate and madness) rest within that blade, how would you feel being taken from your home and torn apart..." sympathy leaked into his tone.

"I imagine... it would desire its other half," he says in a cryptic tone, as he runs a finger across the empty segment, noting small grooves within where some vessel was once held. Faint wisps of magic emanating from within the loop, residue of what once was. "Even now it calls, er... or well... as much as a magical bonding can be described as such."

Characters Present

Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

The mist was playing havoc with her senses. Willow's nose scrunched and straightened many times as she walked, and her ears twitched erratically. It was like a blanket was being held over her head, muddying her sense of smell. It smelled thick and heavy, not unlike the grass when it begins to rain only... more so. Her hearing, however, was fine. “I feel them too, Wayfinder,” she replied, her gray eyes peering into the mist.

She'd heard the stick snap as well, causing her tail to droop low in caution. In the end however, the only thing she did was sigh. She would not be the transgressor in a strange place. If they were to be attacked, then it would be unprovoked, but she would defend herself. In that vein, she found herself unconsciously creeping closer to the children. Once Mako drew his blade, Willow's eyes first went to the weapon, and then to the mist. “Be careful drawing weapons,” she warned while her eyes darted to and fro around them. Whoever or... whatever was watching would take such an action as a threat and attack.

Eventually, she took another glance back at the blade and raised a curious brow. She could feel the faint magic within the weapon, and her head tilted quizzically. “It wishes to be whole again,” Willow added. At least, that's what it sounded like from Mako's description. Glancing up from the weapon to the Lopid wielding it, Willow nodded, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips, even despite the situation. “It's alive, or, rather. The magic inside it makes it alive.” The Flow taught that magic was alive and present in everything, working through and around the world. It only made sense that the magic inhabiting the blade wished to be whole again.

Then she frowned. Like all living creatures, however, magic likewise was unpredictable. Perhaps even more so. She gave the blade a wary glance before she shrugged, her mood resetting to it's usual jovial setting. “Regardless, I do wish whatever's waiting in the mist would hurry up and decide if they want to say hi or not.” She said with a good natured chuckle.

“Staring is rude.”

Characters Present

Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

"And it wants to stay alive," he says cryptically under his breath.

Mako put the blade down to his side, then slowly sheathed it. He felt it, eyes from the mist following their every movement behind that stifling fog... but if they were beasts of prey then they were waiting for a moment of weakness... if they were not, then they were assessing them anyways. It was little different to him than back in the ocean with his tribe, the Agouo'n, hunting and being hunted. This feeling was nothing new.

What was new was that the blue haired boy now radiating more light than an agitated glowscale*. He took a long look and narrowed his eyes, remembering the first time he laid eyes on the boy. "The one that got away," he remember the shady voice saying, "the key to finding Mirror's Edge." Thinking back on it, he didn't very much like the way the guy spoke about Emery. And they called him creepy.

He began to mentally piece it together as much he can with what little information he currently has. First deduction: With too few similarities between them, he's not the baker's son by blood. Secondly- He was then broken from his thoughts when he heard Willow speak.

"Maybe they are thinking the same," he jokes, shrugging his arms. He puts on a goofy smile, trying to easy the tension, but inside he's trying to assess the situation and ready to act in the event of hostile action. "Hello denizens of the Misty Woods, we come in peace."

* Glowscale is a type of fish from the deeper parts of the ocean known to radiate intense light when frightened. They are common around the sunken caves in Agouo'n territory. Agouo'n is the Lopid tribe Mako derives from.

Characters Present

Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Altian eyed around them carefully, feeling the magical presences around them about as well as Emry was. It was getting kind of annoying, as Emry-Shu mentioned earlier. Quickly, he scanned the map and zeroed in on their position.

"I think we're around here," he pointed towards a spot on the trail that was surrounded by a blue silhouette. Thank God for colored pencils... "Which means we should be fairly quiet. These beings around us wish no harm. They just don't want to be provoked, so they're watching us curiously from afar and seeing what we're doing. So long as we don't interact with them-"


Facepalming almost immediately, Alt turned to glare at the Lopid as he finished his sentence with a tone of mild annoyance, "...they shouldn't try to attack us..."

Almost immediately, he heard a rustling of trees around them. Altian's eyes widened as he took a couple steps back, motioning for everyone to do the same, "Circle up, everyone. They're gonna try to strike from all directions."

As everyone did so, Altian spouted some knowledge he learned from the journal, "These creatures should be the Aksians. They're kind of small, but they pack a punch with them. Avoid their fangs and you should be fine." He grabbed the pen that had been resting on his ear for the entirety of their adventure so far. Closing his eyes and clicking the pen, it began to morph in front of their every eyes, manifesting into a single handed, dual-bladed sword of polished steel. He eyed the noises around them, keeping a frame of mind and calculating their approach. "The adventurer who wrote this guide said we either go offensive or defensive."

For a moment, all was silent. Alt looked left, then right, tension behind his stare. His grip on his sword was firm, but loose, trained like a standard swordsman.

"Now!" he called and thrust his sword forward.

At that moment, the forest around them erupted, a swarm of what looked like large rat-like creatures coming out of the forest and launching themselves at the group, fangs bared. Their fur was as black as the shadows and dirt around them, their only telling feature being their gleaming teeth and their large red eyes. Their furry bodies crashed into them at their max force, roughly near thirty of them. Alt's sword thrust cut through one of them, but he had to set up a rapid barrier to guard the rest of them.

But they weren't notoriously difficult creature to take down, even in large swarms like this. Altian circled around, catching a couple Aksian throats as he did so with his blade before slicing through a couple more. They were like grunts. Even the knight would be a harder fight than this.

Characters Present

Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Emerin quickly flew upward, and with one slash of his hand cut some fruit off a nearby tree using Wind Magic, collecting the fruit and landing back down with them. His ease with flight was easily notable. As he went down, Altian started to explain about the creatures around them, only to get interrupted by the Lopid provoking them all. As Alt-Shu finished, Emerin quickly brought his overwhelming magical energy to bare, creating a powerful Wind Barrier around them.

"These creatures are weak. My Wind Barrier alone should be more then capable of repelling them, but I see even more, larger, more dangerous creatures in the woods that are making me stay on edge. Otherwise, I could fight them without too much care. I mean, seriously, these things can't be too smart, consi...."

It was in mere seconds this exchange took place. First, Emerin realized they had surrounded them first. Secondly, they realized their strength, so until provoked, they didn't attack. This meant they could understand what they were saying, at least partially. And third, their claws could be used for digging. As a result, he managed to draw his dagger and deflect as an attack came from underneath them. Still, he was sent flying. Not because he took damage, but because his body is just that light.

Now separated from the group, two more shot out of the ground and attacked him from left and right. Additionally, his Wind Barrier, even if he put it back up, was completely useless. It can't stop things that travel underneath the earth. It was Wind Barrier's ultimate weakness. While he blocked the two of them, one took advantage of the opening and tried to bite Emerin's neck.

Emerin managed to block the bite to his neck with his arm, but once it got a taste of his blood, for a moment, the Aksian started to cough, and rolled on the ground a little, before staying still. "Well, that's new" Emerin mentioned, then looking towards Alt-Shu. "For things with fangs, they sure don't like....blood..."

Emerin noticed a large shadow eclipsing him. He turned his head to look behind him, and the Aksian had grown in size, magic levels, and appearance of terror. "So, does that happen when they drink anyone's blood, or maybe just blood rich with magic like mine?"

It swiped at Emerin before he could dodge it, clawing his back. However, the moment it hit the Dragon Tattoo, Emerin's magic levels suddenly changed. In an instant, Emerin was standing past the claw, holding the arm of the Aksian with one hand. There was a symbol on his forehead, circular and filled with inscriptions (See image four, also note the person in the background we can say is Altian since they look similar/alike). Alt-Shu would remember it from a few times before. It only occurs when A: Emerin forces it out, which isn't easy, B: When the Dragon Tattoo is attacked directly, or C: When a dangerous threat is sensed or known by Emerin.

The first time Altian would have seen it, was years ago. They had just gone swimming, and ran into a shop holding their belongings to buy some cloth to dry off before heading back to one of their places. The store owner had an issue with theft recently, and due to their current state, mistook them for orphans looking to steal more. He grabbed Altian's arm, dragged him off to the counter, and nearly chopped it off out of anger for theft, stating that it would save his friends in the Guards the trouble of punishing him the same way.

Emerin got so upset and so worried, the circle with the symbols appeared on his forehead. He then moved so fast, appearing right next to the store owner. He gripped his arm, forcing him to drop the cleaver, before crushing that arm completely with his bare hand. The look in Emerin's eyes was strange too. It was like he was there, but all emotion had vanished. In fact, his emotions were instead helping power his magic, actually converting emotional energy into magical energy. It also allowed for him to use more magical energy then he already could at once, which is why Altian preferred to call it an Overcharge mode, while Emry preferred to call it Light Mode, because all of his magic became so powerful, it also became visible, and it appeared as light. When he uses it, white birds made of light seemingly appear (see character profile for appropriate image, I think its the second one).

Emerin crushed the Aksian's arm, and then used its body to whack other Aksian's like a game of whack a mole. His eyes seemed cold and focused, and the way he moved his feet, its as if everything was calculated. In fact, it seemed that the most magic seemed to be focused around his bare feet and his legs, almost as if more magic flowed through them then his actual head or torso. Whatever the case, this lesson should be clear.

DO NOT, under ANY circumstance, attack the dragon on Emerin's back, even on accident. Even if the Aksian had a weird reaction to Emerin's blood.

Characters Present

Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

A knee flew up from the folds of the white cloak, and connected under the chin of the first Aksian unfortunate enough to charge Willow. The blow forced it's head upward and an open palm found its temple, sending it flying off to the side. The blow was calculated enough that the force wouldn't be enough to kill it, but still take it out of the fight. Willow sighed to herself as she pulled the cloak free from her shoulders and let it drop where she stood. Magic coursed through her limbs, and had been since they'd first felt the eyes upon them. A thin lined frown replaced her usual jovial smile, and she slipped into a business-like demeanor.

Willow focused on her next step, digging the ball of her foot into the ground and launching forward with a surprising velocity. The next Aksian quickly found her upon it, and moment later a hard palm was driven into its head, again, non lethally, but nevertheless taking it out of the fight. She took a step backward, and then rammed her elbow into her blindside behind her, striking another in the snout. Then she spun and finished with a palm strike underneath its chin, snapping its jaws closed and dropping it.

Taking the lives of these creatures left a sour taste in her mouth, and having witnessed Alt slay several of the creatures caused a melancholic mood to settle over her, while her gray eyes darkened. They were the trespassers in their domain, not the other way around. The Aksians should not have to die just because they were protecting their territory. Chances were, they would've done the same if faced against strangers. They were innocent creatures. “Avoid killing them, if you can!” Willow demanded with a certain steely tone.

After she had spoke, another lunged at her. She was quick enough to throw her arm to to protect herself, but the Aksian now had its jaws wrapped around it. However, as it attempted to chew, it'd find her arm hardened like stone. Frowning, Willow let another burst of magic run through her limbs and she began to spin with the creature still latched onto her arm. She spun halfway around until the one creature struck another that was attempting to come from behind. The collision knocked the Aksian loose from her arm, and took both creatures out of the fight as they crumpled together.

Willow eventually settled into a low stance, her hands up and her palms open. Her eyes darted all around as she pivoted on her heel, ready to counter and deal with a threat from any direction.

Characters Present

Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Hearing Willows Request skitter on the outside of the void that had enveloped Tam’s mind, Tam’s spear point dipped away from the eye of one of the beat that leapt for him, instead the round buckler like sheet smashed into it’s face, and was followed by the butt of his spear before circled to the next target, thumping it solidly between the eyes, the next across the neck and so on in a whirlwind of staff like attacks.

The desert Dweller hummed with a soft magical energy, as he danced between targets with a dazzling speed. He avoided killing as much as he could, but a solid thump to some soft spots was more than enough to kill one or two of the creatures…

Characters Present

Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

"Hey, don't look at me, all that magic has them going crazy like a starved school of blood-fins," he says in response to Altian's glare. With fluidlike waving motions of his arms, with his arms conjuring moisture from the air into small concentrated orbs that he sends out in bursts to the Aksians with open palms. Each impact sent a number of the creatures hurdling through the air, only to replaced with more. "And besides, I was trying to make friends. Isn't my fault they don't grasp the concept."

The creatures were weak, simplistic, but in large numbers. Large enough numbers to attack the Lopid from all sides. Mako sighed, crossing his arms creating a bubble around him then swinging them out bursting it with enough force to knocking them away. There was no point to go all out, he only needed to put forth a minimal effort, wait for each attack then counter. It was somewhat disappointing.

While kicking a few ankle biters, he witnessed the blue haired boy now radiating with visible magic. He was giving it his all against these creatures. While at first impressed he was also bothered by the level of overkill upon such weak creatures. Doesn't matter how deep a well is, pouring it out like that will dry it up eventually. He just hopes he'd cool down before he excites the larger creatures that may live in these woods. Either way, he saw them clearly, the symbols aglow on his forehead. He took a mental note of each of them, etching each in his memory to write down later. Surely they won't mind, I'll share it later anyways, he thought.

He then heard the Crotayin protesting against killing these creatures. "While I agree, miss Willow, they are showing no signs of relenting," he responds, maintaining a calm tone while giving a damp backhand to one of them attempting to gnaw his shoulder. "Perhaps this can be solves by giving them something else to bother?"

Characters Present

Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

“Avoid killing them, if you can!”

Altian glanced over towards the Crotayin, analytics in his gaze. Was it just a merciful side of her, or did she know something the rest of us didn't? Whatever it was, the journal didn't exactly warn them about the consequences of slaying these creatures. So Alt chose to heed the advice, morphing his sword into a fine bar and continuing his onslaught, blocking those who shot themselves at him and whacking them aside. He felt the shift in the ground beneath him as he realized very quickly that they could dig.

"Nec illi terra!" he shouted the enchantment and slammed his makeshift staff into the ground. Immediately, a silver light spread from the impact point, causing the ground beneath them to become much more firm, almost like steel. Smiling, he stomped the ground to test it's durability. Rock solid.

He never imagined he'd ever use the Hardened Soil spell. The ability to make the ground beneath you never shift seemed so useless unless you were doing arena fighting. But now, they would prevent any kind of sneak attack from the ground below given that they couldn't burrow through it. It just went to show what knowledge of all varieties of spells could do for a person, even those that seemed like they wouldn't be functional anywhere. Because you never know.

Alt had just set up the Wind Barrier again, this time being much more effective without it's weakness, when he noticed Emry-Shu's glowing forehead and realized what was happening with him immediately. Something in him had activated Light Mode...his term for this magical state Emry was in. He'd only seen it in action once, remembering the day they walked into the wrong shop at the wrong time. He remembered the exact place the man had grabbed his hand and almost chopped it off. He even remembered the words Emry spoke in that hauntingly cold tone...a tone he'd never forget.

"Alt-Shu is no thief. Now let us leave, or I will smash every bone in your body."

Indeed, Alt had already practically destroyed the man's hand and was ready to mangle the rest of him as well. He couldn't describe the level of fear in the man's eyes as Emry let him go and proceeded to walk out, grabbing Alt-Shu's hand as he went. He was even worried that when he took his hand that it would be smashed. But he knew better...Emry wouldn't dare hurt him intentionally.

The moment they left the store, the glowing mark on his head faded, indicating that it left when his emotions were under control. He had no idea how long it would take to fade should someone dare choose to attack the

But now, facing Emry, Alt noticed a wound on the boy's arm, blood oozing out of a bite mark there. He inhaled sharply as he saw it. That wasn't good.

"Their size increase must be from drinking your blood, not just anyone's," Alt ran over to him, noting that the Aksians were running away in fright from the aura of magical intensity Emry was letting off, "Because the issue with taking a bite like that isn't for their gain, it's for your detriment." He examined the bite wound, taking a bit of water from his canteen and pouring it on the wound to clean it to some extent. The hole was now visible.

"The guide doesn't elude to this, per say, but I'm pretty sure my theory is correct when I say the Misty Woods is plagued with a Werecurse," Alt stared Emry in the eyes, all seriousness held there, "This means that if we don't find a way to reverse it's effects and soon, you're going to be one of those creatures by the time night falls...and given your magic potential, likely their king."

Alticus didn't go alone when he began documenting the Misty Woods, Alt knew. He had taken a crew of people. There was a diary log in the back of the journal, detailing the adventures he went on each day he was out here. Two journal entries detailed the event. They were studying the flora of this region when the Aksians had attacked them. While they fended them off, one of their crew members got bit. They shrugged it off, cleaning the wound as best as they could and venturing onward. But the next journal entry after is what was haunting to Alt.

Day 8,
Something happened last night. I was awoken to discover another of those Aksians trying to attack me. Luckily, my thicker skin allowed me to refrain from obtaining any bite wounds. I fended the creature off, eventually killing it with a carefully places stab to the belly. But that wasn't the fatal blow. That came when I woke up everyone else and discovered that one of my crew members was gone, with no trace of him except for his clothes which he had left behind. We searched all over for him but found no one. We looked for tracks of any kind and found none, not even those of the Aksian that had tried to attack me before. The rest of the crew figured that the Aksian had taken him away and they mourned his loss.

But I disagreed with their theory. I knew exactly what had happened. Up until that point, I had yet to run into a single Aksian in the wild. They hunted in packs, not alone. The crew member we lost in the night would've showed more signs of a struggle had he been taken like the others thought he had. But there wasn't a cover stirred, nor a claw mark of any kind to be seen. In fact, he even left the bandage he had used to wrap the bite wound in the day before with the rest of his clothes. I theorize the bite wounds do something extraordinary, though I will refrain from putting the information in the journal until I have tangible proof. But I have no doubt in my mind.

I was the one that killed my crew member that night.

Characters Present

Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Emerin tossed the giant Aksian away like a dead rat, which to be fair, it was dead. It had been dead for awhile now. He looked at the others, this cold look on his face. Unfortunately, he only got this look under two conditions. The first is that he was in this mode, the second is that he was angry with someone, but not an upset angry, a calm, controlled anger. It scarred people to the bone, because when he was calm angry, he could be methodical in making one suffer. Granted, they always deserved it, but still.

Standing like that, with his magic glowing around him, might remind travelers of a story. A story that popped up two years ago, told by a bunch of freed slaves. They say that a young boy who had repeatedly outwitted slavers was finally captured out of revenge using a combination of overwhelming brute force and a long term strategy. However, a man with blue hair close to the boy got angry at this, and charged right into the slave camp. He not only disabled, but crushed the bones of the strongest slave keepers, broke his friend out, and then gave the slaves the tools to gain their own freedom after disabling the guards.

They never really got a good look, and there were a lot of exaggerations, but one might realize now that it was actually Emerin who did that, when he got really angry. Emerin once explained it to Altian after that. "Its like my body enters this mode where its fighting off an infection, only instead of germs, its people and things that make me angry or I see as threats to me or those I care about, like you Alt-Shu. I remain somewhat in control, and I can usually speak, converts my emotional energy into magical energy, so it causes me to get this cold look in my face".

And now that it happened again, Emerin looked at the others, and gave them the same explanation. It was basically an immune response. "The attack on back caused it, because one of the triggers is attacking the Dragon Tattoo. I can also force it to activate, but it usually lasts for a significantly less amount of time and takes more effort if I do. Well, there is a reason its still active as well....there have been people following us since Azma. I figured we were being watched and people were after us, which is why I insisted on leaving as soon as possible. They are using Shadow Magic, so I only have two current ways of tracking them, and one won't last very long. There are fourteen in total, unless there are more holding back. They are being extremely careful, but I cant check their magical power levels, so I don't know if they are threats or not. Shadow Magic even hides their heat emmissions, which I checked with the goggles, as well as their sounds. Additionally, there are much stronger, much more bloodthirtsty things in these woods. As a result, I am still on edge. We are being watched by multiple parties that wish to seek us harm, and since I can't tell how strong they are, I don't know if they are actually capable of hurting us. But if it makes you feel better you guys, me and Alt-Shu could handle things ten times as strong as that knight and not get hurt".

Suddenly, Emerin felt the venom from the Aksian's kick in, faster then expected. But that wasn't the most notable part. The dragon, normally on Emerin's back, lit up again, and seemed to...move....projecting itself outward, and bitting the bitemark the Aksian gave Emerin and sucking out the Aksian's Magical Venom....though Emerin did not look one hundred percent, he looked significantly better. Some non-magical traces of venom still remained probably, but not enough for a full conversion, just some mild annoyances down the road meaning it should probably be treated. The things were smarter then anyone could have expected.

Of course, he knew that using this Inner Power came at a cost. If he burnt himself out, the backlash could be severe. Additionally, he doesn't really take damage while in the mode, but any damage he did receive he will feel all at once the moment he leaves it, give or take it spacing out over a few minutes. it did reduce the damage done with each attack, but it doesn't make him immortal. Using this mode means he might never know when its time to run when he takes too much damage.

As the symbol finally began to fade, Emerin looked around. "Alt-Shu, we should not camp outside at night. Though I doubt we will make it to a cave before we get attacked again. I managed to shut down Light Mode though, if only to save my magical energy for later..."

That comment might cause Alt-Shu to break out in laughter, given Emerin's magic supply was so vast, and he was already regaining it faster then a normal boy his age would. As the magic no longer became visible, Emerin's eyes remained that same way. He was apparently angry at something, and that look would probably start to scare people or freak them out if he was not given something happy to think about instead. He bandaged both his injured and uninjured arm, in order to prevent anyone from remembering so easily which one was bitten.

"Don't want any more creatures going beserk from my magic rich blood, after all" he mentioned. He couldn't help but feel like the mist was getting even thicker, though it seemed to only be affecting him at the moment.

Characters Present

Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

"Werecurse, da 'na ta nou sho," ("do not tell me that") Mac responded immediately and rather loudly, his tone had shifted from calm and jovial to more concerned and confused as he blasts a few more back with a series of strikes, sloppier than his previous display. The grin goes away from his face, and he furrows his brow. "I seriously hope you are not trying to tell me these things are people."

His eyes shifted all over the place for the bigger ones, it was strange, but this revelation had started to make him become nervous. He could accept transformation, it was that the very concept of a person no longer being a person that burned every sensibility within his skull. He straight up did not believe in it, he refused to believe in it. It could just be pure speculation, books are known to get facts and feelings mixed up, he thought. This wasn't the first time he was faced with such a situation either, part of him had blocked it out.

It was around four years ago, he had been forced to work together with a rival treasure hunter, an ash blonde female Altarin by the name of Nala Tahuin, part of a group called the Cat's Eye. They were professionals, and it was an honor for the young Lopid, more a nuisance for the somewhat older recruit. Their target was some ruins somewhere deep within a section of the Misty Woods, off the beaten path of Tower Town.

When they had actually come to it and found the vault, but before they could revel in their victory the Akrnara ambushed them and they were severely overpowered. Despite their best efforts, they had to lock themselves within the ancient vault. It was here the young Lopid came upon a more terrifying truth than the Akrnara outside. Despite her tougher body, one of them had succeeded in piercing Nala's side with its teeth. She slumped over against the vault wall, a look of horror washing over her. Mako had used a few steel spears within the vault to jam the door shut as scratching and beating can be heard from the other side. He then turned to see her bleeding. He knelt down to check on her.

"It ain't deep," he said, oblivious to the fact that this means nothing in the long run. He attempted to grab her arm, which she pulled away from. "What are you doing? Come on, lets find another way out of here. We can't just stay here!"

"Don't you get it," she said, with a stifled voice. "I've been bitten"

"Well, yeah, I can see that," he responded, digging through the various artifacts for some hole or secret passageway. "Why don't you help me here?"

"Wait, you really don't get it," she says, looking to the Lopid in utter disbelief. "I'm going to turn into one of them!"

Mako stopped, dropping a heavy chest onto the ground with a loud bang, then turned slowly to her. "Da 'na ta nou sho," he said under his breath. He walked over an knelt before her. "What can I do?"

"Even if there was a cure, there's no way we'd get out in time for it to be any good," she said, looking away from Mako. "Just leave me, soon I won't even be me anymore, and you'll be my fist victim. In fact, you probably should use one of those spears and..."

Before she could finish, Mako grabbed her by the cheeks and forced her to look him in the eyes. His stern glare pierces deeply. "Listen here, we are getting out of here, even if I have to knock you unconscious and drag you out," his tone was equally piercing and precise. "Understood?"

She couldn't argue with him even if she wanted to, he was too stubborn, and he was being so for her sake. "But if I do turn, and go feral like them?"

He lightened his grip and put on a goofy confident grin, "then I'll just have to remind you who you are."

"Bakata... I don't think... I... really, h-how do you intend to do that," she asked, slapping her hand over her face.

"I don't know, but even if the body changes, I don't believe the person inside is really lost as much as just sorta... forgets," he explains, shrugging his shoulders. "Maybe they just never had someone to remind them of who they were, or gave them that opportunity. There's a saying my people have, 'bah'uou sh'uou at ralou, sh'uou at ahabou'."

"And that means?"

"'Where there is life, there is hope,' it means that nothing is over as long as you live," he responded, pulling her to her feet. "Now lets get out of here."

"How could I have forgotten," he asks himself under his breath. "I've been in these woods before, not here but another part of it. There are Akrnara out there, aren't there?"

With a mighty blast of water he knocked several of the Aksians back. Then turned to everybody, motioning at the path.

"We got to keep moving, get somewhere safe, and get him treated fully, I'm going to have a lot of questions regarding how you drained it though..." he says sternly, pointing to Emerin. "And if the worst comes and it is someone else... 'bah'uou sh'uou at ralou, sh'uou at ahabou'."

Then he heard Emerin mentioning people hiding themselves in shadows, away from sight, silent beyond hearing. He furrows his brow more at this, pausing in place. If they are so perfect with their stealth then... "I already kinda figured... but... how do you know that, and the exact number?"

Characters Present

Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Tam Thumped the one more, actually chasing it for a moment before rounding to check that they were clear.

" The Akrsian dance poorly, nothing like Akrnara" He said making his way back to the group, taking a moment to make sure those that had been killed before White wolf's request had been made, were infact dead. Planting the long bladed spear though the neck's of each one. A few kicked viciously, but died down quick enough.

" The were curse is a real thing. As far as I know the cure is death." He said flatly. A face danced on the edge of his mind, but faded quickly. " How ever there are stories of those who run with the Aknara. Dawns Breath (a common flower, used for treating stomach aches) Is said to slow the affliction if the wound is packed with it. May be different with the akrsian, but perhaps not." The desert dweller suggested, cleaning the spear's blade back to it's mirror shine.

Tam nodded as the the boy spoke of people watching from the shadows.
The lopid voiced sensible questions so Tam had no real need to speak on the matter.
If the cowards wish to hide in the mist let them. Even with the enhanced senses' brought on by the magic humming over his skin he couldn't see what the boy had spoke of, no had he sensed anything out of the norm. He had to get this information from those who stalked them and bring it to the Dalh'nim'sun ( Leader of the spear madins).

Tam nodded at the boys suggestion to find shelter. " There are caves about an hour away, tho they might be occupied, Caves seldom are abandoned. " Tam cautioned. He had been through these woods enough to have a fairly good understanding of it's geography, and ecology.

Characters Present

Tag Characters » Add to Arc »

0.00 INK

Willow exhaled deeply and placed her hands out in front of her, palms down, and pressed downward as the breath left her longs. The act was to release all of the enhancements she had placed upon herself and to clear her mind and body. By the last breath of air, all of the adrenaline that had coursed through her veins moments ago had settled back out, leaving her with an air of calm, albeit her eyes held a glance of melancholy. With he ritual now down, she turned and began to head back to the others, pick up her white cloak along the way.

Once she reached the others, she opened her portal and tossed her cloak inside before reaching in and withdrawing a container of water. She listened to the others as she twisted the lid and took a drink from it. “I agree with him,” Willow said, tilting her head toward the Lopid. Whatever they decided, they needed to keep moving, lest they become targets for another group of Aksians. However, she did take a moment to offer Mako a drink of water. Lopids were a thirsty species, from what she understood of them.

However, at the mention of a were curse, Willow's ears turned and laid flat against her scalp and her tail quit wagging, and instead hung low. She did not like the sound of a were curse, and a worried eye turned toward Emerian. Willow knew a few healing spells, yes, but she was no dedicated healer, and usually they were all used for personal injuries. Plus, she had no idea if her meager healing skills could do anything for a were curse. Not a moment later, her brow furrowed as the boy boasted about being able to handle things much more powerful than the knight without getting hurt. She felt that he was implying that they needed his protection, and it irked her, somewhat, but quickly reminded herself that he was only a child.

“I do not care how powerful you may, or may not be, we should not provoke a fight if we can help it,” she said. As she spoke, she watched as the child expelled the Aksian venom. It helped put her mind a little at ease to know that she did not immediately have to worry about the curse affecting him. “We can speak as we move. Tam, if you would?” she asked, allowing the Wayfinder to lead the way. “We can look for the flower as we move,” she added.