[Bronze Woods] Seeking a Path in the Wood (Aoren)

by **Wade** on July 14th, 2013, 4:56 am

27th of Summer, 513

Wade could no longer hear Syliran Knights clanking about in their armor, nor could he hear children playing or men and women going about their work. The quiet of the woods was all about him though he was not even an hour deep into it. The wood did not oppress him, as he had spent quite a lot of time hunting underneath the branches of these trees, but the peaceful quiet did cause him to wince whenever he snapped a branch with a careless step.

His hand rested on the axe strapped to his belt. Since he wasn’t out hunting he had his bow on his back instead of in his hand, but he felt it was prudent to be ready to fight in a moment’s notice. He pulled his cloak tight about him as he passed through a wall of trees and came into a peaceful clearing.

Wade’s eyes rested on a large man sitting quietly in the clearing, probably deep in meditation. He sighed with relief, glad that he had managed to follow the shopkeeper’s directions correctly. He had set out this morning after spending quite a while gathering his willpower and fighting back lethargy. He wanted to find out what his purpose was so that he could start working towards it.

His sister had had a firm grip on her purpose and pursued it with a passion that Wade simply couldn’t muster when he looked to the different fields. Wade wasn’t compelled, as she had been, to join the Syliran Knights and climb their ranks. He had gone through all the jobs he could think of and discounted them one by one. He remembered his father working hard every day and, having helped him from time to time, could not even imagine it putting that much sweat and toil into something he did not want to do.

The thought crossed his mind that he was just being a child and refusing to accept the realities of life.

Wade stepped out and raised both hands in greeting, distancing them from the axe in his belt. “Hey there. Sorry to disturb your meditation, but I was told by Sahfri Blackleaf at Stormhold Salves that you would be here and would not mind an interruption. I have come to seek your powers of Divination.”

Maybe this man would be able to give him a road that roused his passions.

by **Aoren** on July 14th, 2013, 4:34 pm

To the casual observer it would appear that Aoren was in a very dreamlike state. His eyes were open but they lacked the vigor of someone who was alert and aware of their surroundings. There was an otherworldly glow to the cobalt blue irises of his eyes. The Seer's Lily shimmered in the sunlight. After a moment longer he took a deep breath and blinked away the distant look in his eyes.

"I know." He turned that gaze to the young man standing before him. He gestured to the grass before him inviting the young man to have a seat. "I know why you're here. I know what you're searching for young sir." He brushed his fingers over the shimmering mark of Avalis that he had carried his entire life. There was hardly a moment in time that Aoren could remember that he wasn't visited by visions of all things gone by in a person's life. He'd become adept at sifting through the threads of those closest to him. He always kept tabs on those he welcomed into his life and when decisions were made related to him or another person he loved he would usually bear witness to those past decisions when he concentrated.

When he'd arrived at the clearing he had chosen the day to concentrate on his meditations and reflect upon the gift Avalis had given him. Aoren was never one to pry very far into the distant past of those closest to him. He respected their privacy and only ever intruded upon that privacy if it served a true purpose. Today he'd been simply keeping his senses open to things related to him and had been drawn to the Chavi of Sahfri Blackleaf. He had witnessed the conversation between the shopkeeper and the young man now before him. He had heard his intentions and had waited for him.

"You're looking for guidance, Master Wade. A path to walk with dignity and pride." Should the boy hold a look of surprise on his face, Aoren would only give him a soft but sad smile. "We are all looking for higher meaning in life, young master. By the grace of the Goddess I may be able to help you find this meaning. In the end though..." He dipped his head slightly in thought. "...it is up to you to walk the road ahead of you."

by **Wade** on July 14th, 2013, 6:16 pm

Wade’s eyebrows raised and his eyes widened somewhat as Aoren spoke of the purpose of his coming with a matter-of-fact tone. He was not so surprised that the Aoren had guessed at his purpose but that the man was conveying that he understood the motives behind that purpose. He appeared to Wade almost like a wise sage at peace with the world, ready to guide the young man on his way and help show him that which might brush away the lethargy that weighed down his every step.

Wade sat down in the grass quietly and crossed his legs in front of him. He ran a hand though his hair as he regarded the odd marking of a flower on the man. It was majestic and, though Wade thought his eyes were fooling him, appeared to glisten. He knew that this mark was what gave the man his power as a seer. A neighbor offhandedly remarking that he had seen a man with the Seer’s Lily was what had piqued Wade’s interest in the first place.

Wade noticed that the man was quietly looking downward, and realized that he had allowed a moment of silence to enter the conversation. He gathered his thoughts before speaking. “Master Skycrown, I just… I’ve been able to find a firm grip on what it is that I don’t want, but I can’t figure out what I do. All of my life I have just, well, played around honestly. I helped my father at his work occasionally and when he passed I aided my sister with her dream. Now that I am alone, I have my own destiny to seek.”

He sighed deeply. “I’m just looking for a sign of what I should do. I just want something that will shove me out of bed every morning instead of leaving me staring at my ceiling.” He grinned. “I honestly hate the mundane work of everyday life.”

Wade rocked backward, realizing that he was probably being very childish. Work did not promise to be a fun endeavor, as his father had told him many times.

But his sister had never acted like he was working. She got up early and went to sleep late as she pursued her passion.

Wade wanted that.

by **Aoren** on July 15th, 2013, 11:04 pm

"Please, just call me Aoren. I'm far from a master of anything." He shrugged his shoulders and chuckled softly. As he listened to what Wade had to say Aoren wasn't surprised in the least. It was the wanderlust of youth. The formless need to do something that would make a difference in the world in which they all lived. He had felt that need most of his life. He still felt it but he had found some semblance of purpose in the work he now did. The time was fast approaching though that Aoren knew he would be leaving Syliras. He knew it wouldn't be forever but he did know that he would not be returning once he left for a very long time. He pondered for a moment once Wade had finished his explanation of why he'd sought Aoren out. A small smile touched his lips and he nodded knowingly.

"I cannot tell you what lies in your future, Wade. That power is not granted to me but I can offer you insight into the things that you have done to help you decide what it is that you feel you are meant to do." He let that statement hang in the air for a moment before proceeding.

"The Goddess grants to her Seers an ability that comes in three tiers. The first is the ability to navigate the Past that we may gain insight into the Present. The second tier is the ability to see all things as they unfold in the here and now that we may see the world from many perspectives. The third tier is the ability to see things as they might one day become." He rest his hands on his knees. "I cannot see all things in the Present. I also cannot see into the distant Future. What I can do is help you understand what has brought you to the here and now. Where you go from there?" He shrugged with a half-smile.

"Well..your future holds only what you shape it to hold." He ran both hands through his short-cropped hair with a heavy sigh. He rose to his feet in one fluid motion then offered a hand to the young man.

"Though..." He paused for a moment and studied the young man intently. "...I believe the real question is not what you want to do with your life but rather what is it your life was meant to do? Which is a completely different question when you think about it." He smirked.

"In essence, what makes you...you?" Should the young man accept his hand he would help Wade to his feet before gesturing for the boy to follow him. "Walk with me, Wade." Aoren set out toward a slightly worn path in the treeline.

"To find the answer you seek, you must reflect on the choices that have lead you to where you are today. Why did you make them? What drove you to make them and most importantly what drives you to make the decisions you're making right now?" Aoren clasped his hands behind his back and cast Wade a sidelong glance. He waited for the young man's reply to all of his questions patiently.

by **Wade** on July 16th, 2013, 12:33 am

Wade accepted the seer’s hand and then followed behind the bulk of a man that was Aoren. Wade always started conversations with himself late in the day and deep into night, wondering who and what he wanted to be. He would always determine that he would figure out in the morning, but when morning came he had not the interest. He would instead let his mind wander down random paths and head out to pursue some whim or another. It had begun to loom over him of late, however, a force pressing down on him more and more as time went on, as he came to realize that he would end up in the streets if he continued his lifestyle too much longer.

Even now, if it weren’t for the anchoring presence of Aoren, Wade would probably wander off to do something fun instead of trying to answer his own questions.

“What your life was meant to do…” Wade muttered to himself. His sister had always spoken of joining the Syliran Knights not as if it was her choice, but her calling. She had told him many times that he too, should think of joining the cause; he should think of bettering the world through order and justice in their ranks.

Aoren, to Wade, seemed to believe himself pursuing some fate, some destiny that had already been decided. Perhaps a person’s life was all work towards something. Wade knew that a person could not choose how and where they were born, but was there a why that was already decided? Was there a reason behind his life?

Wade thought over the questions that Aoren was asking him, considering the great meaning that was behind his life. He sought something that tied his life together. Maybe there was something that gave him one direction he had already been traveling down. He tried to put his life together like a puzzle, fitting the different pieces together.

After a moment, he realized that the pieces didn’t really fit into anything.

“I uh, I don’t really know,” Wade admitted after a moment. He smiled a little and licked his lips, noticing that they were dry. “When I was younger, I did whatever I thought was fun. I helped my father out of loyalty, and then my sister because I, well, cared for her. Now, I feel that I am motivated to come here and figure out everything just because life is losing is luster. Whenever I go out to do things that were fun when I was young, I find myself growing bored.”

“I want something. I want the drive to do something,” Wade confessed. “I just don’t know what it is. Perhaps I am driven by jealousy over what my sister once had.”

He ran a hand over his face, massaging his forehead for a moment. Forcing himself to do this was difficult. Wade most often took the easiest path, and this was not the easy path.

Wade looked at the large man for a moment. “I’m curious; what drives you, Aoren?”

by **Aoren** on July 16th, 2013, 2:54 am

"I don't expect you to find the answer right away, Wade. Such a journey can take years. It requires careful study. Reflection. Meditation. It would seem to me though..." He leaned down picking up what appeared to be an acorn. He held it in the palm of his hand for a moment before showing it to Wade. "...you are much like this acorn."

"Acorns are the seeds of what could one day become great and mighty trees. The Oak, proud protectors of the forests and symbols of great strength and wisdom. There are few trees that can be considered greater. Very few." He rolled the acorn in his palm before rubbing it between his thumb and index finger. "An acorn by itself is little more than the first stage of something much greater. In order to become that something it must first be planted." Aoren gestured to the dirt and soil all around them.

"But a place to burrow ones roots is not enough. In order to grow the seed needs other sources of nourishment. Such as Syna's light, Makutsi's rain and Caiyha's love. Think of these as three parts to the much bigger whole." He closed his palm over the acorn still speaking as they walked.

"A seed planted in rich soil will never grow into abundance if it is left in darkness. It needs food. Love. Things to guide and ground itself that its branches may stretch toward the heavens unhindered." He chuckled as he thought about his analogy then shook his head. "I am beginning to sound like my old master, talking of seeds and trees."

Aoren let a moment of silence fall between the two of them as they walked. He let the noises of the forest wash over his senses. He took a deep breath enjoying the smell of the earth. When he deigned to speak in response to Wade's inquiries his eyes were somewhat distant.

"What drives me, you say?" He smiled clasping his hands behind his back thumbing the acorn as they walked. "I was a few years younger than you when I was ambushed by a group of bullies who hated me for being...different. I didn't see the world as they did. How could I?" He shrugged his shoulders. "I have lived with the Goddess Avalis' sight my entire life. My perspective has never been very narrow minded." He sighed heavily as he continued the brief anecdote.

"It wasn't the first time I'd run into these bullies but after what they put me through and what I suffered at their hands I swore I would never again be corned in such a way. As I've grown older, stronger and maybe a little wiser I've seen what some people have to suffer through in life. I want to alleviate that suffering. I want to see a world where our lives aren't in constant jeopardy simply by stepping outside the walls of Stormhold Citadel." He came to a stop and looked down at Wade carefully.

"I am driven by a number of things, Wade. A man has many purposes in his life at any given moment."

by **Wade** on July 16th, 2013, 4:23 am

Wade stood for a moment in silence as he absorbed what Aoren had said. He felt as if he were a child speaking to his father, and, indeed, the huge man towered over him as Wade’s father once had. Some of what Aoren said was lost in Wade’s head as he struggled to digest everything. To Wade, the man seemed to have a wisdom that would be forever beyond his grasp, a sense of understanding of the world with a clarity born from something Wade could not experience.

Uncomfortably, Wade rubbed his left arm with his right hand. This man, as his sister had, possessed a drive to do something. It was a little different though. Aoren seemed to have a purpose for his life, but also made room for many others, unlike Wade’s sister had. One thing Aoren seemed to do, Wade reflected, was help out young, confused souls like him. A smile touched his lips as he considered that.

Then again, his sister had always taken the time to take care of him. His sister had pursued her passion, yes, but she had also made sure that Wade was well cared for, even when he was off running about and avoiding getting a job. She had known her responsibilities and fulfilled them even as she pursued her dream. Perhaps because of those responsibilities her life was not the dull, empty one that Wade felt that he had fallen into.

He looked up, into Aoren’s eyes. “Thank you, Master Aoren. I think I have a little bit more of an understanding.” Aoren’s gaze was intimidating, especially to someone who had to look up half a foot, but Wade hardly noticed with the feeling of relief that was washing down his spine. He didn’t feel like he was going to end up in the streets hungry and bored until he wasted away with nothing to say for himself. That felt great.

“I don’t know how you plan go about ending suffering, though,” Wade said. Even a man as big as Aoren could not tame the wilderness. “I can’t imagine a day when I won’t leave the Citadel without my axe.” He fingered the axe in his belt, remembering tales of monsters and slave caravans that lurked just on the edges of civilization. “But I hope I haven’t wasted too much of your time. If there’s anything I can do to help you, just let me know.” He felt that he owed this man, even if it was just words imparted. Wade had intended to seek help and pay for it, but now he felt as if mizas were not enough.

by **Aoren** on July 16th, 2013, 4:39 pm

"Suffering has little to do with the world itself and more about how you perceive it. If I can help one person change that perspective from negative to something more positive then I have achieved my goal." He nodded to Wade but he still heard the hesitation and slight confusion in the boys voice.

"Give it time. The time it needs. Some answers come when we search for them. Some answers come about on their own. Regardless, I think the answer to your plight may be more obvious than you think." He turned to face Wade fully and presented the acorn to him.

"Take it. Let it serve as a reminder for the path you search for and will one day walk. As for payment?" He shrugged his shoulders. "I'm certain you will find a way to repay me one day. When you do seek me out. Until then do not concern yourself with it."

Aoren turned and began walking back in the direction of the clearing. He made no effort to ensure that Wade was following him. If the young man wanted to accompany him back to the clearing he would come of his own accord.

by **Wade** on July 16th, 2013, 6:43 pm

Wade tossed the acorn from hand to hand as one would with a ball as he watched the large man depart. Wade felt better now, though that didn’t mean he still felt like delving into those hard questions without the anchoring presence of Aoren forcing him to do so. He reached behind his back and tossed the acorn over his shoulder, catching it in his other hand absentmindedly. Then again, according to the seer’s words, he didn’t need to.

The bulk disappeared into the forest and Wade exhaled deeply, realizing that he had been a little tense through the entire encounter. His eyes were fixed on the trees as he considered whether he wanted to follow the man back to the clearing or not. If he did, he might eat up a few more wise words and continue to confront the question of his life’s purpose. He tried the behind-the-back maneuver again but misjudged the distance and the acorn hit the ground softly.

Wade picked the acorn back up and, grinning, decided to turn about and head in the opposite direction. He’d done well this day, he figured. He grabbed the bow off of his back and clenched an arrow in his teeth, determined to catch a fine animal to celebrate. He walked off into the woods in the opposite direction of Syliras. He dismissed thoughts of destiny, fate, and higher purpose as he concentrated only on the hunt.

He still felt the acorn in his pocket though. It was an unfamiliar bulge against his leg and a reminder that he owed Aoren… something. Perhaps it was only half for the service he had done and half for the ideals that reminded Wade so much of his sister. Wade was determined to aid this man sometime in the near future and felt that, though he hadn’t quite made a friend, he felt he could trust the seer.

by **Radiant** on July 30th, 2013, 2:04 pm

Wade :

Aoren :

Notes :

My radiance is not bright enough?

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your grade, beam me a PM and we can work it out.

Skill	XP Earned
Observation	+2 XP
Socialization	+2 XP
Philosophy	+1 XP
Juggling	+1 XP

Skill	XP Earned
Meditation	+1 XP
Philosophy	+3 XP
Socialization	+2 XP

Completed [Bronze Woods] Seeking a Path in the Wood (Aoren)