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Post by Neo on Jun 13, 2015 19:42:39 GMT -6
Zalia nodded, and moved to place the wash cloth in the sink. She then pulled her apron over her head and hung it up on a hook by the sink, walked around to the other side of the bar, and sat down next to Eden.
"You're safe, and that's all that matters," Zalia said with a motherly smile. She then turned to Cenric and motioned to the scene on stage. "Cenric, be a dear and go break that up, will you?"
Cenric looks like he'd rather wrestle a giant bear, but he nods. Once he leaves, Zalia turns back to Eden. "What happened?" She asks.
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Post by GX1997 on Jun 13, 2015 19:49:50 GMT -6
"The monster I went after wasn't what we thought it was. It was actually something called an Abnormality. They're monsters that are twisted into even more despicable creatires than usual. Some are even said to possess magic. And even their blood is toxic to humans. Maybe if I had someone else with me I would have stood a chance, but as it was... I barely made it, and even then I only managed to do so because a healer found me and knew how to save my life," Eden said soberly.
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Post by Neo on Jun 13, 2015 22:48:09 GMT -6
"He did a little more than that," Cenric remarks under his breath, walking back over. He passes right by the two women and goes to sit over in the corner by himself. He's still mumbling to himself as he sits down.
Zalia watched the boy walk by and arched a single gray eyebrow, turning back to Eden. "I'll write down your description of these Abnormalities in our monster files, and send a copy up to the Council. Don't you worry. Before long, every Guild will know about them. No one else will have to get injured, or worse, due to misinformation."
Zalia suddenly smiled knowingly. "But I'm more curious about this 'healer' who saved you. Tell me about him."
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Post by GX1997 on Jun 13, 2015 22:54:13 GMT -6
"I know you hear plenty of the tales that we bring back after missions, so I'm sure you'll understand everything clearly when I say this: The man is the one known as the Priest of the East."
Poor Cenric. If only he knew that we were just joking and hadn't done anything. He seems to have been scarred by that little exchange.
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Post by Neo on Jun 13, 2015 23:05:51 GMT -6
Even Zalia appeared surprised by that. "Oh? Is that so? That's interesting. I've always been partial to humans myself, but then again, my first husband was a wild dog, so I'm not one to judge your taste in men."
She laughs at her own joke, then rises to her feet and walks back behind the bar, pouring herself a glass of whiskey. "So, are you going to introduce me to this demon boyfriend of yours?" She asks casually, leaning against the sink and sipping her whiskey.
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Post by GX1997 on Jun 13, 2015 23:13:01 GMT -6
Zalia knows me better than that. She knows I'm not interested in him, but for the sake of the joke she's not going to let the others know that, now is she?
"He says he'll come eventually, probably sometime fairly soon. But isn't that what they all say?" she asked, knowing that Zalia would probably make another joke about one of her own exes.
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Post by Neo on Jun 13, 2015 23:29:23 GMT -6
"Men," Zalia scoffs jokingly. "All the same."
"Hey, I take offense to that," a battered and bruised Lucian chimes in, walking up to the bar. "I'll have you know I'm very different."
He turns to Eden, and gives a genuine smile, which was fairly rare for him. "I would hug you my dear, but... Velia would probably kill me. And I don't want to accidentally reopen your wound. But I'm glad you're home safe and sound."
He then turns to Zalia, and just like that, the rare moment of sincerity is gone. "Excuse me, Mistress, but my pride is gravely wounded, and needs immediate attention."
He then waltzes upstairs towards the men's bedroom wing, placing his hands in his pockets and humming. Zalia and Eden share an amused look, while Velia casually walks over with a job flyer in her hand. She stops briefly to place a hand on Eden's shoulder.
"Good job out there," Velia says. "Safety is always more important than Sovereign."
And with that, she briefly showed the job flyer to Zalia, who nodded, and walked out, letting the Guild doors shut behind her.
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Post by Neo on Jun 14, 2015 14:16:32 GMT -6
Orion stopped to rest at sundown on the first day. He rested in a low hanging branch of one of the many trees scattered across the grasslands, his cloak dangling over the edge. He rested only for a couple hours, then journeyed all throughout the night. It was much the same on the second day after parting with Eden. Then, in the very early predawn hours of the third day, the lone road of dirt and grass morphed into a road of paved stone, and that too morphed into a wide highway. He smiled to himself as he walked along the side, a multitude of vehicles buzzing past him.
A lone priest in a far too modern world... It has a romantic ring to it, doesn't it?
The glistening white stone walls and sparkling silver skyscrapers of Ambrosia came into view just as dawn broke on the third day. He looked up at the towering walls as he approached the East Gate, and felt a moment of awe.
To think, humanity has come this far, in only a few centuries... How could anyone want to destroy something so beautiful? Sure, it's not all roses and sunflowers, but that's only nature's way of maintaining balance. Heh... I'm such a hypocrite. Maybe there's just something wrong with my programing.
He walks calmly through the massive gate, despite the contradictory feelings warring inside him, and into one of the three Grand Cities of Aselia, and the capitol of the south. He made his way through the winding streets and throngs of crowds, effortlessly blending into the noise and bustle. He located the main train station, had a quick breakfast at the food court, and went to buy a ticket south, to Rosebud. However, he was quickly disappointed.
"Sorry to break it to you pal, but this is as south as the train goes," the big, burly redhead at the ticket counter said, with a fairly thick accent. "You wanna go farther, there's a bus that runs to Rose Port on the hour, every other hour. Unfortunately for you, you just missed the last one."
Orion gave a resigned sigh, and thanked the woman for her time. May as well spend some time in the city then. If worst comes to worst, I can always walk. The scenery would definitely be worth it.
He spends a couple hours wandering around the Shopping District, looking through a few Magic Stores, just for fun. It had been quite some time since he last visited a major city. None of the shops really had anything that interested him, but he simply enjoyed browsing, and seeing the faces of the children who were discovering Magic for the very first time. It brought a rare genuine smile to his face. Afterwards, he wandered into the Main District of the city, the part of the city that was home to the Governor's mansion and all manner of Inns, Museums, Theaters, Opera Houses, Guilds, and more. He walked down Main Street, through the hustle and bustle of morning traffic, and into Central Plaza, where a group of talented street musicians were performing in front of the De'Luna fountain, a giant fountain of golden water. The water was said to have special healing properties, and to come from a massive underground spring, and it was this water, dubbed Ambrosia, that gave the city its name.
Orion merely listened to the musicians for a time, but eventually, his own hand began to twitch and he walked up to the leader after they finished their latest performance. After proving he could not only play, but sing as well, they happily agreed to let him perform with them. They taught him the notes to their music, and in return, he taught them his. He played the role of background flute at first, but soon, he was taking center stage, and they had drawn in quite the crowd. Orion lost himself in the music, stopping only to eat and drink and give his voice a chance to rest. Hours passed, and before long, the Sun was already beginning to set. Orion shared dinner with his new friends, and ended up spending the night at the Inn.
On the morning of the fourth day, his heart heavy and his soul weary, he set out for Rosebud Hills on foot.
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Post by Neo on Jun 14, 2015 16:12:05 GMT -6
The famous rolling hills of southern Aselia were even more beautiful than Orion remembered. It wasn't the first time he had seen them up close, but it had definitely been a few years. The hills stretched on in all directions, as far as the eye could see, rising and falling like waves in the ocean, perpetually frozen in time.
"The Great Steppes of Aselia," he breathes to himself in appreciation. "A perfect example of nature's beauty. It boggles my mind that some can see this wonderful sight, and not be moved by it."
The fourth day of his journey was blessed with calm, temperate weather and a cool breeze blowing in from the sea. The sky was a beautiful cerulean, and mostly clear, save for a few clouds floating lazily by. He made good time, and though several busses stopped and asked him if he needed a ride throughout the day, he chose to continue on foot. When night fell, he took shelter in the valley between two large hills, and slept on his cloak, staring up at the stars until he fell asleep. Just like always, he woke in the very early morning, had a small breakfast of dried meat and water, and resumed marching.
He was pleasantly drowsy on the fifth day, and even allowed himself more breaks than usual. Around midday, he cooled himself off in a small stream, that ran all the way down from the mountains, many miles to the north. He briefly washed his shirt and cloak and laid them out to dry on the grass. He drifted off to sleep, and when he woke again, he felt more refreshed and invigorated than he had been in some time. He dressed, and set out once more, continuing well into the night.
By the time dawn arrived on the sixth day, his eyes were once again highlighted by dark circles, but it was worth it. As he crested over a large hill, and dawn broke, he was rewarded with a sight he would never forget, not even if he lived forever. Below him, an endless field of roses stretched all the way down to the sea, and there stood perhaps the most beautiful city in all of Aselia. The white stone buildings of Rosebud Hills glistened and sparkled in the Sun's golden rays, and the vast emerald sea was bathed in swaths of gold. A light wind rolled in from the sea, and all the roses danced to its tune; a sea of red to contrast the sea of green and gold. A tall lighthouse could be seen, even from this distance, and it's own light clashed beautifully with the light of the Sun.
Orion shielded his eyes, though whether it was from the sheer brilliance of the spectacle or from the Sun's mighty glare, he couldn't tell. He began the last leg of his journey, and as he walked into the small port town, a wide smile spread across his face. Already the streets were bustling with fishermen hauling in their catch, and sailors preparing to set out to sea. A few others wandered around the open air marketplace, purchasing groceries for the day ahead. Orion stopped to ask someone for directions, and he pointed him towards the end of town, where a decent sized ship was moored at the pier.
"Looking for Silver Chimera, eh? The Guild Hall is located not far from the pier, right next to the Lighthouse. It's a pretty big building, and has the Guild's banner flying outside. Can't miss it."
Orion thanked the man, and was on his way. And just as the man had said, Orion found the Guild without any trouble. It was right on the edge of the water, overlooking the sea, only a few yards from the Lighthouse. It was a large building of gray cobblestone and oak, with high glass windows. The building appeared almost like a two story Inn from the outside, but with one big difference; the roof of the Guild sloped upwards to form a tall bell tower, with a large golden bell. The Guild's flag hung from a pole at the very peak of the bell tower, flying in the breeze for all to see. A wide blue banner was nailed into the middle of the building, between two long windows, and the name "Silver Chimera" was painted onto the banner with silver letters.
So this is your home, Eden... Another sight I won't soon forget.
He pushed the doors open, and strolled inside. Little did he know, that single action would change the course of his life forever.
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Post by Neo on Jun 14, 2015 20:18:26 GMT -6
"Welcome to Silver Chimera," a tall, elderly gray haired woman greeted him from behind the Guild's bar. She was busy organizing and restocking the liquor cabinets. "If you're here to file a request with the Guild, place the info on the counter and I'll get to it as soon as I'm done."
Orion shook his head and smiled, as he looked around the room. Three others were present besides the woman- who he immediately guessed must be Zalia- though none of them even looked up from what they were doing. They must get their share of visitors, and very little trouble from the locals, if no one even looks up when someone enters. That's the trademark of a Guild that's truly beloved... And a very good sign.
A young woman, maybe a couple years younger than him, sat at the end of a long dining table, quietly eating a small breakfast. Her raven black hair was worn in a long braid and she had beautiful violet eyes. She wore a black tank top, and baggy beige camouflage pants. The man sitting next to her was about as tall as him, with dark brown hair and eyes, glasses, and a long ornate blue coat with silver embroidery. The third person was a very tall older man, probably in his forties, with a flaming red ponytail and beard and a long crimson cloak. He was sitting at the bar, drinking what looked like whiskey on the rocks, despite how early in the morning it was.
"Actually, I'm here to join," Orion answered, walking over to the bar and sitting down. "You must be Zalia. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."
Now that got everyone to look up. The woman turned around and stared at him curiously, wiping her hands on a cloth. She noted his attire, and the white oak staff on his back, and after a few moments, she suddenly burst into laughter.
"And you must be the priest I've heard so much about, eh? Eden said you'd be arriving soon."
Oh, she's been talking about me, has she?
"I tried to come as quickly as I could," he said, grinning. "My name is Orion, Orion Farsong."
Zalia's sharp brown eyes lit up in surprise and recognition. "As in Wayland Farsong?"
Orion mirrored her reaction. Most people didn't know his father's real last name, unless... "You knew my father?"
She inclined her head, and her eyes softened into a look of affection. "Yes, long ago. But we haven't seen or spoken to each other in a great many years... How is the old coot?"
She doesn't know...?
"He's dead," Orion replies softly. "He died in a fire when I was a child, along with my mother."
A shocked, pained look briefly crosses the old woman's face, and she closes her eyes. "I... See. That's a shame. He was a great man."
She suddenly opens her eyes and smiles. "There's no use dwelling on the past. Learn from it, and move on. Now, you say you want to join Silver Chimera? I suppose I don't really have a choice. If I turned her boyfriend away, my granddaughter would be very upset."
Her smile turned into a small, slightly mischievous grin that was kinda terrifying, and Orion laughed. "She's quite the spitfire, isn't she?"
Zalia shrugged nonchalantly, and her grin widened. "You'd probably know that better than most."
Orion chuckled again, as the man sitting not far from him suddenly slammed his glass down and turned to him, grinning. He had a single golden tooth, and the rest of his teeth were blindingly white, which made for an interesting grin. "You're quite the smooth talker, ain't ya boy? Name's Jurian. I happen to be the father of the little lady you've shacked up with. And that means you're gonna need my blessing if you want to stay with her, ya hear? You got a problem with that, boy?"
Orion merely blinked in surprise. He couldn't tell if the guy- Jurian- was being serious or not, and that was a first for him. Usually he could read people like an open book. However, he quickly composed himself and gave his most charming smile. "Of course not, sir. What do I need to do to earn your blessing?"
Jurian gives a deep, booming laugh and stands up. He walks behind Orion, leans over his shoulder and takes out an old, antique pipe. He holds the pipe out to Zalia, who retrieves a lighter from a pocket in her apron and gives him a light. Jurian mumbles his thanks, blows out a series of intricate smoke rings, then grins and pats Orion on the shoulder.
"You serious about her then, boy? Well, in that case, all you gotta do is..."
Jurian whispers something in his ear, and Orion's eyes widen. "But t-that's..."
"Impossible?" Jurian finishes, laughing. "How much she worth to ya?"
By this point, Orion had already caught on and knew he was joking, but he decided to play along. He gave his best lover's sigh. "All that, and more. I would do anything for her."
Zalia, who had been trying not to laugh thus far, suddenly gave in and chuckled. She lovingly shooed Jurian away with the back of her hand. "Go on, get. Go do something productive for once, you useless bum. Here, Orion, I have a favor to ask of you."
Jurian laughed again and backed away, holding his hands up in surrender, while Orion turned to Zalia. "What do you need?" He asks politely.
Zalia motions for him to hold on a second, then retreats into a back room that was probably the kitchen. She returns a moment later carrying a breakfast plate and glass of water on a blue tray. "Would you be a dear and carry this up to Eden for me? East Wing, second room on the left."
Oh, this should be fun...
"I'd be happy to," he answers, against his better judgment and survival instincts. He stands up and takes the tray from Zalia, walking towards the stairs.
"Try not to wake the entire Guild up," the black haired woman at the table said to him as he passed. The nonchalant way she said that left him stupefied for a moment, then he smiled charmingly.
"We'll do our best," Orion said, grinning.
He had little trouble finding the door with "Eden Perreault" stamped on a silver plaque above it. He knocked softly, waited a few moments, and knocked again. Finally, when no one answered, he opened the door and walked inside. ... Let's face it, knowing her, she would never wake up to answer the door. I just wish I had some battle armor or something...
He found her still asleep in bed, and placed the tray of food on the nightstand by her bed. He thought about leaving right away, but decided against common sense, and pulled up a chair to her bedside to sit down. He watched her sleep for a moment, then smiled and said, "Morning, sweetheart. How are you feeling?"
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Post by GX1997 on Jun 14, 2015 20:30:45 GMT -6
When Eden woke up to a- sadly- familiar voice, she wasn't very happy. Without opening her eyes she sat up and grabbed her breakfast tray, then decided she should respond. And she knew exactly how she would do it.
"Took you long enough to get here. Now get out of my room."
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Post by Neo on Jun 14, 2015 20:48:00 GMT -6
Orion gave a light laugh, and feigned offense. "Aww, is that any way to treat the man who loves you? The man who saved your life, then travelled countless miles, braving storm and injury, just to be with you? I'm hurt, Eden."
When she sat up, her blanket had fallen off of her, revealing a very thin silk nightgown, and giving Orion a very nice view. He grinned, and added, "My, my. You always seem to find a way to kick the covers onto the floor, don't you? Would you like me to tuck you back into bed?"
He was pushing it, sure, but he had grown kinda fond of teasing her. And he still had a few seconds before she started throwing things. Besides, he never said he was sane. I think I'm addicted to her already. HA. She'd probably kick me in the vulnerable bits if I said that aloud.
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Post by GX1997 on Jun 14, 2015 20:56:15 GMT -6
"Get. Out. You don't want to know what will happen to you if I feign a scream of terror and yell for Zalia to come help me. She'll gut you like a fish if she thinks you're threatening me," Eden said with a murderous look in her eyes.
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Post by Neo on Jun 14, 2015 21:15:16 GMT -6
Right. That's my cue. Time to go.
Orion sighed and rose to his feet, calmly placing the chair back where he found it. "Alright, I'm leaving. I'll check how you're doing once you're up and not completely homicidal."
He turned to leave, then stopped in the doorway and turned back to her. "Nice seeing you too, by the way. I'm sure I'll absolutely love my time here."
He made sure to emphasize his words carefully, to let her know he was only staying temporarily, and then left, quietly closing the door behind him. When he returned downstairs, he found the young woman from before helping Zalia wipe down the table, while the man with the blue coat carried dishes into the kitchen. Jurian was nowhere to be seen. Both Zalia and the girl turned to look at him, and from the looks of surprise on their faces, he gathered they didn't expect him to return alive, let alone in one piece.
"Congratulations," Zalia said with an evil smile. "You've passed your entrance exam. Welcome to Silver Chimera, Orion Farsong."
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Post by Neo on Jun 15, 2015 18:37:40 GMT -6
That very morning, only a couple hours later, Orion was already out on his first job, along with his lovely new "Guild Mentor". After filling in Zalia on the full details of the new species of monsters called Abnormalities, and informing her of the recipe and process for creating the antitoxin, she dispatched him and Eden to gather as many materials as possible so they could begin mass production of the antitoxin. She assigned Eden to be his mentor- a longtime tradition of the Guild was to assign an older member to supervise a newer one on their first few jobs- with the official reason being she already knew him, and she was the only one in the Guild aside from Orion who had even seen an Abnormality, though Orion suspected she really did it for an entirely different reason.
"Most of the materials we can find in Ambrosia," he says to her, smiling friendly, as they walked towards Rosebud's local Post Office to drop off Zalia's letter to the Council. Regardless of the reason, Eden certainly didn't seem pleased about the situation, and she wasn't shy about letting him know it either. Still, he was rather excited at the prospect of travelling with her, even if he wished the current job could have been a little more peaceful.
"But the last ingredient... Is a tricky one," he admits, his smile fading slightly. "The final, and most vital component of the concoction, is the blood of an Abnormality. That's why making the antitoxin takes so long, and is so difficult to create. If you aren't careful extracting the blood, or make even one mistake... It would be fatal to the patient."
He opens the small leather pouch tied to his belt, showing her a case of eight hard glass vials, all carefully stacked together. Only two of them were full. "I have my own stock in case of emergencies, like when I found you, but acquiring more... May prove difficult. The blood loses it's potency after death, so we'll need to hunt down a live one and slay it."
Orion sighed. "I told Zalia I was against sending you with me so soon after you've recovered, and that I'd be fine on my own, but... Well, you can see how that turned out. You'd probably hit me if I told you to stay back and leave the fighting to me, so I won't. I'm no fool; I know how important teamwork is. However, I've had a lot more experience fighting Abnormalities, so..."
He grinned slightly. "... Will you hit me if I ask you to follow my lead?"
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Post by GX1997 on Jun 15, 2015 18:58:38 GMT -6
"Is that a question or an offer?" Eden asked. "And where are we going to find an Abnormality at right now?"
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Post by Neo on Jun 15, 2015 19:42:15 GMT -6
"We have a few options," Orion answers. "But our best bet would be to stop and ask around the Guilds in Ambrosia, see if anyone's got some unusual monster slaying quests laying around. We could also return to Elmsdale and check if the monster that injured you is still around. It's a bit out of the way, but I-"
He starts to say something else, then abruptly stops, decides against whatever he was going to say, and changes the subject. "For now, le's just focus on one thing at a time."
Then he looks at her and smiles playfully. "And it was a question love, not an offer. But if you are going to hit me, could you wait until after we've slain the big bad monster? I would really appreciate it."
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Post by GX1997 on Jun 15, 2015 19:47:32 GMT -6
"That's too bad. I might have been interested if it was an offer," Eden said as she crossed her arms and started walking. "Regardless, it's your call as to where we go to find an Abnormality. It's your mission, and I'm just here to watch over you."
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Post by Neo on Jun 15, 2015 20:55:40 GMT -6
Orion gave a soft chuckle at her not-so-subtle innuendo. She really does have quite the pair of teeth, doesn't she? Much sharper than any monster I've ever seen.
He dropped the letter off at the post office, and just as they walked back out, the bus to Ambrosia pulled up. They quickly got on and paid for their tickets, and Orion chose a pair of seats in the back, where they wouldn't be bothered. He gave Eden the window seat and sat down next to her.
A few more passengers filled in, but not many, and the bus rumbled to life. They rode in comfortable silence for a few minutes, and he decided now was good time to break the subject. He didn't want to wait too long, and she didn't seem to be that grumpy anymore. "Those swords of yours are rather beautiful," he says softly, smiling. "I don't think I've ever seen their like before, and I've seen many a blade. I can sense magic in them too. Where did you find them?.... If you don't mind me asking."
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Post by GX1997 on Jun 15, 2015 21:03:00 GMT -6
"Somewhere. But I don't see what knowing where I got them has to do with this mission, so I'll just say now that it's not your business. It was several years ago, before I even joined the guild. So no one there knows either. You're out of luck, at least for now," she said, clearly annoyed not so much with the question but with something tied to the answer.
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