Post by SummerCrow on Sept 14, 2016 14:42:59 GMT -6
Chapter 1: The Age of Destruction - Rand's Route
Rand wraps Lily in a quick hug. "Be safe, sis. I'll see you in Trine in a few days, OK?" He jogs off into the stable. He finds his wyvern already saddled, and Mina standing beside him.
"Ready to go, Rand?" she asks.
Rand gives the gear a quick check and nods. "All set, apparently. Thanks, Mina. Are you flying your own wyvern?" he asks.
"Not... Not on a trip this far."
Rand scratches his head. "I don't get it. You're so good at taking care of them. Your wyvern clearly likes you, you get along well..." Mina looks away awkwardly. Rand shrugs and pulls himself onto his wyvern's back. "Ah, well, let's get going."
Mina swings up behind and places a hand on his shoulder. "Ready!"
Rand glances over his shoulder. He grabs Mina's hand and tugs her closer. "Why're you being all shy? Hang on tight!"
Mina presses herself against Rand's back, hugging him tightly for the next two days, only stopping for meals and rest. Wyvern riders keep coming and going as they travel, escorting them from one fort to another, passing them like a baton. On the morning of the 3rd day, the air grows crisp and cool as they approach their first major stop - a small outpost on the border of Meridia and Carcina. There, Rand's to join up with a small group of paladins before proceeding to meet the Valerians and the Valmese representative in a small, out-of-the-way fishing village.
The Meridia-Carcina border is marked by a thick, deep river, in many places surrounded on either side by a deep canyon and sheer cliffs. This outpost sits overlooking a small ford. The outpost itself is relatively small, little more than a pair of shacks, a wooden tower, and a simple palisade; the six paladins waiting for Rand have doubled its population.
The infamous Meridian fog hangs thickly over the land. Rand, Mina, and their pair of escorts sail over a misty, white sea, the ground completely beyond sight. The pair of escorts are experienced, however, and confident. Just on schedule, a small fire becomes visible, a beacon to mark the outpost. Their job complete, the escorts give Rand and Mina a salute and turn back, showing off with a synchronized, rolling turn.
Rand laughs at their antics, waving as they depart. He indicates the fire to his wyvern, and Hector settles into a gradual, gliding descent. Rand notices when Mina's grip suddenly tightens. He assumes she's bracing for the landing before she whispers in his ear. "Something's wrong..."
Rand subtly shifts his weight and Hector slows to a hover a few dozen feet above the outpost. "Wrong? What is it?" he ask.
"I... I don't know. But I saw something move. Over there." The limbs of massive trees are barely visible through the fog, swaying menacingly in the gentle wind.
"Are you... sure it wasn't just a tree?" Rand asks.
"I... no," Mina admits. "But I could have sworn I saw... Well..."
"Ye-e-e-es?"
"I thought... I saw a pair of red eyes. And it looked... humanoid. But bigger," Mina whispers.
Rand's blood freezes. A humanoid with glowing red eyes... Something out of the stories Rand grew up with. "Are you sure?"
"No."
Rand hesitates. A few Risen had kept going after the summoner behind the incident years ago faded. Occasionally a few would pop and attack, but never more than a half-dozen, and not since more than a decade ago. That doesn't mean Mina's wrong. But the beacon fire's lit. And several of Carcina's high-ranked paladins should be around. Still, Rand hesitates. He's not sure if the chill running down his spine's from the cool wind, or... a premonition.
He focuses intently, staring in the direction Mina indicated. Nothing's visible through this blasted mist - it should clear in a few hours, but... Well, that's one option, Rand decides. Fly off and come back later in the morning. He's about to call down to the outpost when a piercing howl cuts through the air. It's coming from the opposite direction, towards Meridia. It sounds... panicked.
(A) Retreat for now
(B) Get a closer look at the woods Mina pointed out
(C) Check out the outpost first
(D) Head for the howl
Rand wraps Lily in a quick hug. "Be safe, sis. I'll see you in Trine in a few days, OK?" He jogs off into the stable. He finds his wyvern already saddled, and Mina standing beside him.
"Ready to go, Rand?" she asks.
Rand gives the gear a quick check and nods. "All set, apparently. Thanks, Mina. Are you flying your own wyvern?" he asks.
"Not... Not on a trip this far."
Rand scratches his head. "I don't get it. You're so good at taking care of them. Your wyvern clearly likes you, you get along well..." Mina looks away awkwardly. Rand shrugs and pulls himself onto his wyvern's back. "Ah, well, let's get going."
Mina swings up behind and places a hand on his shoulder. "Ready!"
Rand glances over his shoulder. He grabs Mina's hand and tugs her closer. "Why're you being all shy? Hang on tight!"
Mina presses herself against Rand's back, hugging him tightly for the next two days, only stopping for meals and rest. Wyvern riders keep coming and going as they travel, escorting them from one fort to another, passing them like a baton. On the morning of the 3rd day, the air grows crisp and cool as they approach their first major stop - a small outpost on the border of Meridia and Carcina. There, Rand's to join up with a small group of paladins before proceeding to meet the Valerians and the Valmese representative in a small, out-of-the-way fishing village.
The Meridia-Carcina border is marked by a thick, deep river, in many places surrounded on either side by a deep canyon and sheer cliffs. This outpost sits overlooking a small ford. The outpost itself is relatively small, little more than a pair of shacks, a wooden tower, and a simple palisade; the six paladins waiting for Rand have doubled its population.
The infamous Meridian fog hangs thickly over the land. Rand, Mina, and their pair of escorts sail over a misty, white sea, the ground completely beyond sight. The pair of escorts are experienced, however, and confident. Just on schedule, a small fire becomes visible, a beacon to mark the outpost. Their job complete, the escorts give Rand and Mina a salute and turn back, showing off with a synchronized, rolling turn.
Rand laughs at their antics, waving as they depart. He indicates the fire to his wyvern, and Hector settles into a gradual, gliding descent. Rand notices when Mina's grip suddenly tightens. He assumes she's bracing for the landing before she whispers in his ear. "Something's wrong..."
Rand subtly shifts his weight and Hector slows to a hover a few dozen feet above the outpost. "Wrong? What is it?" he ask.
"I... I don't know. But I saw something move. Over there." The limbs of massive trees are barely visible through the fog, swaying menacingly in the gentle wind.
"Are you... sure it wasn't just a tree?" Rand asks.
"I... no," Mina admits. "But I could have sworn I saw... Well..."
"Ye-e-e-es?"
"I thought... I saw a pair of red eyes. And it looked... humanoid. But bigger," Mina whispers.
Rand's blood freezes. A humanoid with glowing red eyes... Something out of the stories Rand grew up with. "Are you sure?"
"No."
Rand hesitates. A few Risen had kept going after the summoner behind the incident years ago faded. Occasionally a few would pop and attack, but never more than a half-dozen, and not since more than a decade ago. That doesn't mean Mina's wrong. But the beacon fire's lit. And several of Carcina's high-ranked paladins should be around. Still, Rand hesitates. He's not sure if the chill running down his spine's from the cool wind, or... a premonition.
He focuses intently, staring in the direction Mina indicated. Nothing's visible through this blasted mist - it should clear in a few hours, but... Well, that's one option, Rand decides. Fly off and come back later in the morning. He's about to call down to the outpost when a piercing howl cuts through the air. It's coming from the opposite direction, towards Meridia. It sounds... panicked.
(A) Retreat for now
(B) Get a closer look at the woods Mina pointed out
(C) Check out the outpost first
(D) Head for the howl
