A Stop at the Ruins of Nial [Training/Flashback]

[Leon]

5th Day of Summer 510 A.V. "Words, they are the foundation of ones soul. Manifested in various ways and sometimes caught up in seductive tones. They help to teach others, they explain what is to be and what has been. Words are far more powerful when used properly. They can change the course of fate, can alter the plans of even the most experienced planners. Words can bring joy through song and stories, or hatred through the lips of the cruel and wicked." Words had no meaning to Leon right now. The sun, the warmth of its glowing radiance was enough to light up anything in his heart. For some reason he held the necklace tightly in his right palm. Something was missing, something he wanted to do with his life. It had been several years since the last time he had had time to look up and think. He had been slipping away from his goal ever since he was left wandering for his purpose. Sometimes he thought he dreamed up the birds and everything that happened in his past, but the necklace was the untold reminder that it wasn't just a dream, that it had actually happened. Leon let out the remainder of his breath in an attempt to resolve the stress that had been building up inside of him. Bringing his head back to the earth he found himself looking around in disbelief. The area he was in was a subtle reminder how careless people could be. Trash had found its place in the scenery around him. The carelessness of the people continued as he spotted the coals from a previous night’s adventure. It was the one thing that most people did not leave and often had the cutesy and respect for the world around them to actually take care of it. The wind warned him of the risk, the way it swayed blowing debris here and there. Shaking his head at the idiotic nature of people he set off to the task of picking up some of the trash that was just left floating about. His love for nature was never ending; it provided so much for him. The trees shelter from a sun he knew all to well, the animals and plants feeding him when his body needed nourishment, and water to refresh his better senses. Feeling more than obligated to the task he found that it was the least he could do, since it did so much for him. The ruins around him were an all too painful reminder of how petty people really could be. How all they really cared about was anything that would make them rich and powerful. Raiders, thieves and people interested in there own glories or riches had all too notably taking a liking to this ancient wonder. The ground held the proof of their atrocities. Rubble and unturned earth showed the digging that had taken place. The lack of plant life showed how common it was in certain areas. Thought he hated the way places of such beauty turned out. He knew there was nothing he could do about and in truth it was alike all the ruins he had visited. No one seemed to leave well enough alone, to just let the past be the past. Gazing at the pillars that were left untouched by the hands of man but not by the hands of time he smiled. Taken back by the level of exquisite craftsmanship that had gone into their construction. The detailed had no end to its designs, carvings and symbols were engraved in the stones. It took the hands of a very skilled artiest to do the things these walls held. No one ever stopped to look at them anymore, to actually admire the beauty that went into their creation. They were lost, only rediscovered by the hearts of those pure souls who found happiness in the wilderness. The buildings that were left standing were stripped bare of everything besides the foundation that held them. He it was a disgrace to see such ruin to one of the most fantastic places he had ever seen. Being alone was something he was very use to. The silence that filled the area told him that no one had taken up camp around him, which was good. The sun was no longer as skilled at heating his body as he had been accustom to throughout the day. Instead it was gearing up for the display that it would show later on. The air was still for the moment. He could feel nothing pressing on him. Not the movement of the trees swaying, nor the casting of the leaves to the heavens below. Though his concentration had been sorely lacking to be honest. In fact he even put his pack down on the ground beside him and took the time to lay back and bask in what was left of the warmth of the sun. The days of traveling and exploring were showing to finally have an effect on him as he once more looked up to the heavens. "Words... the foundation of a story the basis of something so small, yet so important. Words affect everything, leaving none spared. Lies and truth both are comprised of words... both consumed. Even the strongest of hearts can not hide from the power of a whisper. Nor can they change what has been heard once it has been said. " Leon's head raced with thoughts. He was caught up still with his choice, it was conflicting him, he was unsure if he made the right one. He wondered what his mother was doing, and how his father would react if he were still with the world of the living. Something in him told him he would have to face his choice someday, but until his task was completed, what ever task that may be... he would never be able to go home... Leon held fast to the necklace, it was calming to him; it made him think of the desert... of his father. It was something he held higher than anything else he owned. Leon was at peace, even though he was at war with the things that dwelled in his head...

[Leon]

Leon seemed to dwell in his thoughts for the better part of the day. Time was something that most mortals took for granted. It seemed that no matter how hard some tried to grasp it, it always ended up slipping through there fingers. Being no exception it had seemed that he had let his time slip from him this day. The sun was now beginning to display the vast array of colors it was most noted for. The sky now alit with various oranges brought him to the attention of his lack of planning and focus. Scouting around he noticed with a painful sting that he had not even started making camp or even planned anything for a meal. As if on queue to his thought of food, a rather loud noise erupted for his empty stomach. “Quiet down will you…I’ll feed you when its time.” It gave another small grunt, probably just out of spite. It knew it wasn’t going to get feed and wanted to protest a little longer. Somehow he found himself digging into his bag on borrowed energy. His search for food was in vain, it seemed like this last trip had left his supplies bare and lacking. Letting the air out of his lungs in a deep sigh he shook his head defiantly not up for the task he needed to do. Staring upwards at the sky he guessed he only had an hour or so before all the light had been stripped from the sky. Taking no time he stood up letting his ached body stretch in various positions, muscles fighting in rebellion to certain actions and movements. After he felt that he was fully mobile once more he took back to searching in his bag. Cursing at his piss port organizational skills, he dug all the way to the bottom to find the small traps that he would be using later. A meal was the first thing on his mind, food had been the driving reason of his body for the better part of the day and now wasn’t the time to give up on that goal. Taking the three traps he went to scouting around for some sort of location to set them up. The area was unfamiliar to him and he was doubtful that it held any game that he would be happy to consume. Squirrels were not his favorite, and though he was on the verge of breaking down and trying to catch one, he fought with it and figured rabbit would taste better. He gave some thought to the direction he was to want to go. The woods held a better chance of him finding a meal, the comfort of the trees and brush seemed to allure the creatures more than the open terrain did. He thought it had something to do with the hawks that circled overhead waiting for a meal to wander in the open as well. Wandering in a westward direction he strayed farther from his gear then he knew he should have. Because of this he made slow time in marking a path he could follow. He didn’t want to get lost in unfamiliar territory, and without most safety of his gear he figured it would be best to make sure he didn’t get lost. The ground held no signs of creatures lurking about, and for the better part of ten minutes no signs could be found. He was about to make tails and turn back when he spotted the movement of brush near by. The sound stopped him abruptly in his tracks. The sudden change brought a pair of ears pointing in his direction. He watched as the rabbit looked at him, knowing full well where he was and what he was probably trying to do. With the quickness that little creatures held, it fled from the scene leaving him to curse his carelessness. The ground in front of him showed the movement patterns of rabbits. The fact that they overlaid was a good indication that more than one made its way around here for what ever reason. Inspecting further he notice why the tracks had been so notable here. A patch of wild strawberries ripe with rich fruit hung delicately from their small patches. It didn’t take much common sense to know why the rabbits were here…food. Being the only spot he had found any trace of live game he began to set up one of his traps. Inspecting the thing vine wire he found nothing apparently wrong with it. The looping had come undone and he took to retying the end in a fashion that allowed slack when reversed but tightened as the creature struggled. He remembered the countless hours his father spent trying to teach him all the knots he knew. The only ones he could ever pick up very well were this one and a bowline knot. In his head he couldn’t think of a better place to catch something, he had enough brush and trees to set up all of his traps. The bait was already set all around him, all he had to do is set them up and just wait it out. Upon completion of the inspection he went to setting the first of three traps that were to take over the area. Scouting around he found a tree strong enough to hold what ever sized rabbit he would hopefully catch, and found that it was small enough to not waste a lot of the length. Tying the vine around the base around the tree he made sure it was nice and secure. Placing the loop end in the patch of strawberries he hoped that a rabbit would unknowingly stumble upon it and be snared. Putting the other two in the same general area he made an attempt to block every other path with bushes and underbrush. It was so the creature was forced to go the direction he willed it to. Looking back he noted the traps level of skill. They looked as well done as they ever did. He took no time hiding them for time was no on his side. He still had plenty of things to do. Hope was the only thing he was basing his success on…hope Bending down he extended his hand to the reddish fruit, and carefully prided some of the berries free from there homes. He was hungry, a little bit of food now was better than none. He had hopes that he would succeed but was not at all convinced. Rising once more he took back to his trail, making sure to follow the path he left for himself quite carefully. Getting lost was not an option. He hated the feeling and today was not one of those days he wished to experience it. Looking around he noticed some branches that had been cast off by there owners. He thought of fortunate it was that the things he needed were happening to fall into his hands. A fire would bring warmth and a means to cook his meal that he was to catch this day. Gathering up as much as he could in order to reduce the amount of work he would have to do later. Forging for wood in the dark was not something he liked doing. It took him a little longer to reach his destination that he had expected due to the burden he was carrying. Shakings his head in disapproval at the mess he had left. His gear looked like thieves had gone through it; it lay scattered all over the ground. Dropping the wood he made headway to go pick the stuff up and store all the gear he would not be needing. The outside air felt cool, but held thoughts of rain. Though clouds littered the ever changing sky he could tell that they would clear later into a beautiful clear starry night. His mind snapped back to the task that he was committed to, camp. Taking the shovel that he left out he began digging a small hole in which he would make his bedding. It was a small trick that he had picked up in the desert life. The earth seemed to be cooler the deeper you got. Making a semi level surface was something he always tried to find time to do. Rocks and sticks bothered him and seemed to leave him with bruises as he tossed and turned in the night. Laying down his tarp he took to making sure no little creatures lurked about underneath. He was in fact referring to ants, the pesky little creatures that had taking a strong liking to his bedding and pack in the past. There were few things in the world that he hated more than those tiny little devils. The tarp was laid, leaving only the bed roll left to set up. His bed was complete, he noted with success that it was rock free and ant free, just the way it should be every day. The fire was next on his list of things to accomplish. It didn’t take to long to spot the various sized rocks that made up the area. Some had been most notably used before to house a fire. Circles comprising of the stones were easy places for him to go picking and scavenging for the sizes he desired. One by one he built the circle up to the size he wanted. Using some of the dirt he had dug up for his bedding he laid it down around the circle and inside it. In his experience he had never dealt with an out of control fire, because prevention and carelessness in the art of the flames was not something he wished to have on his conscience. Deciding that everything was acceptable he began to move on with the next daunting task. Gathering firewood would have normally been this step on his list but luckily he had thought ahead and prepared by bringing a handful of sticks and twigs. It was not a lot but enough to get the fire going until he could find something to better fuel the hungry flames. Placing the small underbrush in the center of the pit he grabbed the flint and metal used to create a spark. Dried leaves found there way at the base of the fire a perfect ignition to start the blaze he was hoping to start. The mixture of dried shrubs and leaves did the trick Leon hoped they would as he ran the stone across the metal surface. It took several times to achieve the desired effect, and once the moment happened he was ready. He watched as the heated ember landed upon the combustible material with promising its glow. Applying his hands around the fading light he blew softly reigniting the glow proudly. Smoke began to trickle up until a small whoosh sound was heard. Happily he watched the flames find there way to the leaves around it igniting them with the unmistakable smell of burning material. Feeling a little light headed from the adventure he leaned back and looked at the flame watching it consume the thin pieces of wood. He would soon have to take care of the issue and gather some larger pieces, steadily working the strength of the fire to larger embers. But for now the orange glow brought a joy to him. Fire would be nice, warmth, safety…and hopefully cooked food. Allowing his eyes to drift upwards he noted that the sky was still shining proudly with the colors. He wasn’t sure how much longer it could hold out but he prayed that it would. Not wanting to waste anymore time he gathered his strength and went to scout for some more lumber to use. Twigs and branches were easy to come by, they were good for small amounts of time, what he needed was a hollowed out log or something larger. With no such luck he decided it was best to gather as much of the little things as he could. Some would hold out for him for a long time but he feared that it wouldn’t be enough to last him the night. Leon went over everything in his head as he laid down on his bedroll, he had this feeling like he was forgetting something, but for the life of him he couldn't remember what it was. “There... everything is ready, got the fire, the bed.... oh fiddle sticks! Almost forgot about the traps." Rising with much haste he began to pick up the trail he had left for him to follow. Bent branches told him that it was where he needed to be. The foot prints he left were even easier to follow. Had he been more careful he would have not been able to track himself so easily. When he reached the area he had set the traps up earlier he paused before looking over the brush he hid them in. Hoping for food was a little underestimate to how he was really feeling. He wanted this to be a success. He needed a meal, something to eat beside berries. Glancing over the brush he found with his disappointment that they were all empty. “The gods hate me this day.” As if on queue the sight of ears not to far off once again alerted him. He shook his head in hatred as he watched the figure flee once more from his sight. “Its official, they hate me.” Taking a moment he bent down and ate a few of the remaining berries that he found. It would have to be his meal for the night. Though it was not as fulfilling as he wished. It was still something to go in his mouth and tell his brain that he had actually swallowed something. After gathering the traps in his hand he set off to heading back to camp. Light was no longer hanging in the sky as well as it use to. Even the orange was being replaced. Darkness was rearing its ugly head, and it was only a matter of time.

[Dryn]

Dryn peared through the trees when he heard a quiet curse and found a man holding three empty traps. He tried as hard as he could to be quiet as he stealthily followed the man, but a misplaced step snapped a twig. Dryn quickly rolled into the cover of a large bush and tried to slow his breathing. Dryn slowly unsheathed one of his father's tiger hooked swords, then the other that rested on his left hip. He used the hooks to pull away a part of the bush, as to gain a view of the man. He noticed the hilt of a sword poking out of his cloak and slowly let the branch return to its original place, taking away Dryn's view of him. He replaced his swords, deciding to approach the man with a friendly...-ish appearance. But he would like to find out more about the rough looking man so he found a low tree branch and climbed onto it. He ran to the trunk of the tree, jumped, then pushed of of the wide trunk and grabbed one of the branches higher up. His right hand landed squarely on the branch but his left slipped off and he struggled to clamber up onto the wide branch. Dryn, to his displeasure, had to use his claws to better climb the tree without being heard. He always kept his claws clean so it displeased him when he had to get them dirty. He worked to regain sight of his subject, swinging from branch to branch warily, making sure not to fall. He smelled the familiar burning smell of a fire and looked out of the trees with effort, trying to find a path through them where his eyes could see the fire and hopefully the man. He jumped to another branch, hoping to gain a better view, and his foot slipped from the smooth bark of the birch tree that would have been his perch. Luckily for Dryn he had been on a fairly low branch at the time and didn't sustain any major injuries. Knowing that his cover was blown he decided to finally reveal himself to the mysterious man. "So...nice camp you have here.", he said with a feigned sense of confidence.

[Leon]

Step by step he made his way to his camp; the smell of his fire told him he was getting closer. Pausing only for a moment he let the feeling of the area surround him. Though his hunting attempt had been a failure he could still rest easy knowing he had a nice stable bed to rest his tired body. The little change in air pressure caught his attention, haulting any forward movement he was going to do. Something was foul the air seemed to switch directions on him moving very rapidly when it shouldn’t. There was a pressure that could not be mistaken it was as if someone was running around. It was very fast, the speed could not be anything close to a normal human’s. He did not hear the sound of the twig snapping, or the rustle of any leaves. It was as was the ability he possessed to feel his world that told him something was around him. He couldn’t pinpoint it, lacking the skills his father did, but that did not prevent him from knowing that something was running around. Leon could feel the being rise higher as if he was scaling a tree. Was it following him? Leon took the moment to analyze the size of the disturbance and tried to get a direction from the way he pressure felt. It seemed to be heading to his camp, probably drawn by the fire. The same thing that was leading him back to his place of encampment was probably drawing this creature. Though he knew he had no food, he was unsure what the creatures intentions or what ever it was. He ascertained that it was probably after the same thing he had been food. Leon gave a slow exhale of his breath bringing his body to a calm and relaxed state, not letting the moment get to him and allowing his reactions to calm to a level he was accustom to. He found himself making slow movements concealing himself in a thicket of brush. The sound was only momentary but he was unsure how well versed his appoint was. His experiences as a hunter would help him to stay hidden and quiet. Knowing full well that hunting was something he did very well, minus the empty traps that now lay beside him. Leon watched in almost amusement as the person fell from not the biggest tree branch, but one that could have hurt had he fallen wrong. It took a lot of his strength to not laugh at the sight. He was careful to keep his composer, the firelight disguising the scene around the camp. Wrapping it in the shadows and half remaining light from the sun. The figure before him looked to be a mortal man, but the way he felt his movement told him other wise. He listened as the person began to speak as if he knew where he was. "So...nice camp you have here." Leon’s position on the man was much unexpected; he had his back turned to him. Unsure if he was a threat or not he made a very aggressive but needed gesture. Reaching for his blade he slowly pulled it free from the scabbard. A soft leather material that comprised the innards helped to relieve the noise of the withdrawal. A quick movement from his hiding spot left a small noise followed by a sharp point pointed at the man’s neck. Steel findings its home against the upper portion of his spine. His words played dangerously warning the man of his intention. If the sword hadn’t been enough the next thing he would say would help him realize what he was in for if he meant harm upon him. " Yes it is a nice camp, and you are intruding on it." Leon kept the sword up; he would drop it only when the man proved he was not a threat. His tone meant to be harsh held the softness of the wind with it. Though he tried, he could not find intimidation to be a part of his life. He was lost with the small little moments like this where fear of thievery guided his actions and motives. " What is it that you seek here… If its food I have none, water is plentiful in these parts. Pray you not a thief after my gear for that is not tolerated. Do not hold you tongue any longer than you need to, I wish to hear a response."

[Dryn]

Dryn stiffened, suddenly very aware of the danger he was in. He took a few seconds to choose his words and slowly unbuckled his belt and let his swords fall to the ground. He proceeded to slowly turn and found himself facing a blade and an intimidating man. The man's dark hair and near black eyes marked him as one of the tribal beings known as the Chaktawe. "I wish not to steal anything of you, nor do I wish to harm you. I seek only something to occupy my time, a friend maybe?", Dryn said calmly. He looked to his feet and then his head snapped up, He heard a small wimper. He knew the sound to be the wailing of a hurt bird of sorts, "We are lucky this day, an injured bird has wandered right onto our plates. Sometimes when you do not try, you recieve the best results.". Dryn said, ending with a short chuckle and nodding toward the man's traps.

[Leon]

Leon watched as the unknown stranger unbuckled his gear, letting his visible weapons fall to the ground. He never took his eyes off the foe before him, not letting the movement of the gear distract him. The stranger was very slow in his movement speeds proving at least at the moment he was not in the spirit to try something. It was also a great indication he was not a thief, for a caught thief normally tries to flee to avoid punishment. The person made a complete turn around looking the blade dead on. His eyes searched his for any sign of hostility, but none was there to be had. It was the last sign he needed. As it stood this man was on his good side, now he just awaited the strangers words to confirm what his actions were proving. "I wish not to steal anything of you, nor do I wish to harm you. I seek only something to occupy my time, a friend maybe?" "We are lucky this day, an injured bird has wandered right onto our plates. Sometimes when you do not try, you receive the best results." Leon lowered his sword, bringing it slowly to the ground, he made a side motion twisting the blade in his hands so that it was facing towards him. And with a slow watched movement, he sheathed the blade. Leon kept an eager eye on the stranger before him. He was right about his catch. Though an empty trap did not lie. "Then I shall make acquaintance with you. But first I think a bird or something else is in dire need of assistance." Leon smiled as the words passed his lips. He couldn't believe his luck, not only did someone come along who did not want to kill him, he had a possible meal after all. Leon pointed in the direction of the sound letting the movement of his finders dirrect where he believed the sound had come from. " I believe it came from over there." He did not trust him, something about him seemed wrong. Why was this man just coming in like this, what did he have to gain. It was all playing on his head.

[Leon]

His ears tuned in for the sound, he only needed to hear it one more time to get an accurate judge of its distance and direction. The call of the creature alerted him once more allowing his head to focus on the objective. Leaving his traps to rot there in the bushes he made a lunge for the sound trying to close the gap between him and the creature. He didn’t pause to look back and see if the stranger was following him, food drove his wits; forcing him into the now darkening woods. Taking the short time to note his direction and the environment around him he made head way forwards into the woods. The call again drove him to hurry his search, moving as stealthy as he could. Branches and brush were minor obstacles meant to be avoided, but with his rush to close the gap before the sound stopped, he cared not. With the light diminishing around him, the last little droplets being cast out and replaced by the dark blanket of the night. He knew that time was of the essence; his task had to be completed soon. He was sure that he was not the only creature in the woods that heard the sound of a wounded creature. His movement increased, halted only by the snapping sound to his left. Glancing in the direction he met the gaze of a creature. Standing upon four legs it moved with great purpose. Its white body only a blur to him, the eyes it held bore into his, sending shivers of fear down his spine. It was warning him in a more quiet way to back off. But food was the promise and though this beast was fearsome he knew he had a task to achieve. The thought of crossing paths with the beast almost made him turn tail and run. But the call of the wounded creature drew his attention once more making him think about the meal at hand. It was apparent by the direction the beast was heading that it and him shared a common goal. Returning to the task at hand, he tried his best to not worry about the other creature that lurked about. He began to sneak about, finding his way through the ever common shadows. Making a few more desperate paces forward he heard the abrupt call one last time. It was only feet away from him. Peering over the brush that clung to the world he caught a glimpse of the creature he sought. The creature to his left got into a lower stance, and without a second thought about it made a fast movement to the creature. As heard the cry of the animal before him fade from the jaws of an unknown assailant, so did he hear the sound of a trap being sprung. He watched as a net trap which was connected to a large sapling activate. It was apparent that the creature was used as bait to draw a larger pray in, being used as a trigger unknowingly. It hard worked like a charm. The creature was entangled above the trees letting out a cry of frustration, pain, or just anger. It sounded like some sort of a cat. Leon watched it struggle to no avail for moments, and then it set its gaze upon him. He could feel its anger as it hissed at him, probably blaming him for its new home. He took in the way the trap was set up and found that it was held only by a large rope. Leon looked up and made a “shhh” with his fingers, knowing that the hunter would be on the lookout for any disturbance and not hearing his bait call anymore would probably be around to investigate. Leon looked around unsure of himself, was he really going to spring the trap of this creature free? Leon gave a sigh and looked up at the creature. Its eyes no longer filled with anger; in fact it seemed to be pleading him for his help. Leon shook his head, he hated being the bad guy but then again he didn’t want this creature to have the fate that was going to be offered to it. And besides if it hadn’t have gotten trapped he would be right now. Leon smiled and took out his scimitar. He glanced up and gave the rope a swing, letting the creature free fall, but luckily it landed on its paws, despite the burden it was under. The creature took notice of him and pounced on him, its claws burrowing into the top part of his shoulders. It looked at him deeply in the eyes giving a low growl. Leon was sure he was about to die, but the creature just turned from him picking up its prize and proceeded to run off into the woods. Leon continued to lie on the ground for a few moments not wanting to get up. He was never more terrified in his life. And the adrenaline had to settle before he could possibly even try to do anything. After sometime passed he got up, brushing off the dirt and other debris that had littered him. His body was sore from the assault. He just wanted to sleep; food seemed to be an impossibility, so there was no need making sleep one as well. Leon took a turn and began walking back to camp. He damn sure didn’t want to be there when the hunter found his trap cut. Though he had to give him props on the way he did it. Leon took note of the items needed, that would be on his list for the things he would get when he went to town again. “Food and trapping supplies... man I really hate the cities though… best to just tough it out, damn but I’m not sure how much longer i can live on these freaking berries.” Leon made good time getting back to camp. He was getting proficient at it. His acquaintance was no where to be found, he didn’t much care for him regardless, so it wasn’t that much of a loss anyway. It had been an eventful night, full of failed hunts and near death experiences. “So much for the simple life mother always wanted for me.” Leon bedded down letting the darkness take him to the land of the dreams once more. Until the next day, the next moment, and the next adventure. "CLOSED"