As Eldan recovered, Yari allowed him time to grasp the changes and stood quietly nearby.
After a few burns, he prompted the attention of Eldan and motioned for him to follow.
Yari walked at a brisk pace through the strange cobalt lit forest in the direction that Eldan understood instinctively as east. How he undertstood that was the direction was unknown, there were no landmarks or anything that distinguished one direction from another here. One path looked similar to any other.
Yari spoke as he walked.
"No one will question you about your trial. Please be kind enough to do the same for others. Her will is our will, and what must be is what must be. I am here to serve as your guide to the House of Thorns, of which you are now a member."
A thundering sound could be heard in Eldan's ears, like the gallop of many horses charging him from all directions. With concentration, Eldan could discern what was making the most of the noise.
It was a squirrel on a tree branch above him. He could hear its sharp little claws skittering across the tree limb as loudly and clearly as the charge of a hundred war horses. Behind the sound of the squirrel, was the roar of the wind though the trees. On the breeze were voices and the heavy stamp of footprints. All of the noises coming at him were confusing and disorienting. The voice of Yari cut through it all somehow, as if the Adhiel were speaking directly into his ears.
"Fear not. In time, you will be able to attune yourself to it. With time and effort, you will be able to hear a spider slither across its web, or the beat of a falcon's wings against the wind. Soon you will wonder how you ever lived without it."
The House of Thorns - Jy 30th. ET
Moderators: Vanadius, Morg, Mods
The House of Thorns - Jy 30th. ET
Last edited by Vanadius on Tue Dec 23, 2008 5:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Eldan was confused. Why had he been sent here? Where was he?
His questions unspoken he followed Yari.
"My trial? The House of Thorns? What's going on?"
Before he could wrest an answer from Yari, a cacophony of noise resounded through his head. He was hearing the squirrel with amazingly heightened senses. What had happened to him?
"Ok, I need some answers. What did they do to me? And why are we going to M'oibh Eort? It lies in ruins all the way in the Eastern Weald."
His questions unspoken he followed Yari.
"My trial? The House of Thorns? What's going on?"
Before he could wrest an answer from Yari, a cacophony of noise resounded through his head. He was hearing the squirrel with amazingly heightened senses. What had happened to him?
"Ok, I need some answers. What did they do to me? And why are we going to M'oibh Eort? It lies in ruins all the way in the Eastern Weald."
They will all pay, in blood, for what they did to beloved Taloh...
Posting Availability: Just about every day, unless work prevents it.
Posting Availability: Just about every day, unless work prevents it.
Yari continued to walk at a fairly fast rate, weaving through the trees as he spoke.
"She has judged you according to the will of Atara Arda to be inducted to the House of Thorns. That much has already happened, and what's done is done."
The guide scampered up the side of a large rock and down the other with an incredible grace and agility. It was as if the boulder was merely a bump in the road that he had hopped over.
"The House of Thorns protects the Wealds from our enemies. You have been accepted, and have been bestowed with 'leafsight' to assist you with your duties. We travel to M'oibh Eort because that is the home of the House of Thorns."
Yari looked back at Eldan somewhat amused and knowing.
"Are they truly ruins?" He asked somewhat cryptically.
He resumed his trek through the woodlands, expecting Eldan to follow and keep up.
"She has judged you according to the will of Atara Arda to be inducted to the House of Thorns. That much has already happened, and what's done is done."
The guide scampered up the side of a large rock and down the other with an incredible grace and agility. It was as if the boulder was merely a bump in the road that he had hopped over.
"The House of Thorns protects the Wealds from our enemies. You have been accepted, and have been bestowed with 'leafsight' to assist you with your duties. We travel to M'oibh Eort because that is the home of the House of Thorns."
Yari looked back at Eldan somewhat amused and knowing.
"Are they truly ruins?" He asked somewhat cryptically.
He resumed his trek through the woodlands, expecting Eldan to follow and keep up.
Eldan's mind struggled to keep up. He was beginning to suspect what had happened, but several things still needed to be explained.
Was it not the Thorns that protected T'aquar and the Adhiel? Perhaps this was not as bad as Eldan initially thought. This 'leafsight' would certainly aid in his abilities to fight.
As he struggled to keep up with Yari, he continued with his questions, seeking as many answers as he could get.
"Who is she?"
"And who are you?"
"What duties?"
"I thought they were," he responded to thte question of M'oibh Eort. "That's what I had been told."
Was it not the Thorns that protected T'aquar and the Adhiel? Perhaps this was not as bad as Eldan initially thought. This 'leafsight' would certainly aid in his abilities to fight.
As he struggled to keep up with Yari, he continued with his questions, seeking as many answers as he could get.
"Who is she?"
"And who are you?"
"What duties?"
"I thought they were," he responded to thte question of M'oibh Eort. "That's what I had been told."
They will all pay, in blood, for what they did to beloved Taloh...
Posting Availability: Just about every day, unless work prevents it.
Posting Availability: Just about every day, unless work prevents it.
Yari continued his fast pace, not the least bit put off by Eldan or his questions.
"She is the one who judges, and I am Yari, your guide to M'oibh Eort. Your duties as a member of the House of Thorns will be to defend the Weald from our enemies." He stated matter of factly, as if he had not already answered the questions before.
"Ah... the full story of M'oibh Eort has yet to be told by anyone, to anyone. When some say 'ruins', they mean 'ruined'. When others say 'ruins' they mean 'not as it was before'. The House of Thorns makes no distinction, for there is mystery and freedom in the ambiguity."
He suddenly halted, a surprising stop after moving so quickly.
"Judge for yourself."
Within the strange cobalt light, a large ring of trees could be seen. The ironwood trunks grew high and strong, and the in-between spaces of the ring was filled with more shimmering bluish light obscuring what lay inside the great circle.
Seven cloaked figures stood around the perimeter of the ring, each standing at watch, vigilant and attentive at their posts. Their eyes flashed bluish light at Eldan's approach.
"Now then, close your eyes, and imagine this place as you have been told."
Unbidden, Eldan's perception shifted. The cobalt lit forest was gone, and the thunder of noise fell away to a gentle quiet. Instead of the great and powerful ring of sentinels he saw just moments ago, before him lay broken stumps and several thin and scraggly trees, some blackened by flames a few yahren ago. There was no great fortress, surrounded by hardy Adhiel warriors here, just a few stumps and patches of scorched earth. There was no sign of the seven guards, just undergrowth and rocks where the warriors once stood. Birds chirped and sang, but it no longer sounded like the trumpet of battle horns blazing. The green color he was so used to felt like a refreshing drink on a hot summer to his eyes. Everything was green again.
Yari chuckled. "Now then. Are they truly ruins?"
"She is the one who judges, and I am Yari, your guide to M'oibh Eort. Your duties as a member of the House of Thorns will be to defend the Weald from our enemies." He stated matter of factly, as if he had not already answered the questions before.
"Ah... the full story of M'oibh Eort has yet to be told by anyone, to anyone. When some say 'ruins', they mean 'ruined'. When others say 'ruins' they mean 'not as it was before'. The House of Thorns makes no distinction, for there is mystery and freedom in the ambiguity."
He suddenly halted, a surprising stop after moving so quickly.
"Judge for yourself."
Within the strange cobalt light, a large ring of trees could be seen. The ironwood trunks grew high and strong, and the in-between spaces of the ring was filled with more shimmering bluish light obscuring what lay inside the great circle.
Seven cloaked figures stood around the perimeter of the ring, each standing at watch, vigilant and attentive at their posts. Their eyes flashed bluish light at Eldan's approach.
"Now then, close your eyes, and imagine this place as you have been told."
Unbidden, Eldan's perception shifted. The cobalt lit forest was gone, and the thunder of noise fell away to a gentle quiet. Instead of the great and powerful ring of sentinels he saw just moments ago, before him lay broken stumps and several thin and scraggly trees, some blackened by flames a few yahren ago. There was no great fortress, surrounded by hardy Adhiel warriors here, just a few stumps and patches of scorched earth. There was no sign of the seven guards, just undergrowth and rocks where the warriors once stood. Birds chirped and sang, but it no longer sounded like the trumpet of battle horns blazing. The green color he was so used to felt like a refreshing drink on a hot summer to his eyes. Everything was green again.
Yari chuckled. "Now then. Are they truly ruins?"
Eldan thought he understood, but wanted to make sure.
"A deception? To trick our enemies. They see what they think is here, not what truly is." He looked at Yari for confirmation.
"Not ruins at all, but a fortress, hidden from the prying eyes of our foes."
It made sense. Why have your base of operations out in the open for all to see. Better to hide it undernearth misconceptions and deception.
"A deception? To trick our enemies. They see what they think is here, not what truly is." He looked at Yari for confirmation.
"Not ruins at all, but a fortress, hidden from the prying eyes of our foes."
It made sense. Why have your base of operations out in the open for all to see. Better to hide it undernearth misconceptions and deception.
They will all pay, in blood, for what they did to beloved Taloh...
Posting Availability: Just about every day, unless work prevents it.
Posting Availability: Just about every day, unless work prevents it.
Yari smiled.
"Deception is one manner of looking at it. What the humans found a yahren ago were a trusting and open society. We shared our forests freely, and we welcomed others in our midst."
His eyes flashed darkly.
"But they attacked and destroyed that. The legacy of Taloh Tel'Amrun was one of peace, fellowship and beauty, and now we take measures to ensure that if someday we open ourselves to the world again, we will not be so easily attacked."
He sat down on a fallen log and rested comfortably.
"What you see before you, as an Adhiel, and a member of the House of Thorns is how we hide our workings to the outside world. Where they shall see ruins and a rotting corpse, we shall build strength and power. What they believe to be abandoned, we will occupy and enhance."
"Have all of your questions been answered now? It is nearly time for you to enter."
"Deception is one manner of looking at it. What the humans found a yahren ago were a trusting and open society. We shared our forests freely, and we welcomed others in our midst."
His eyes flashed darkly.
"But they attacked and destroyed that. The legacy of Taloh Tel'Amrun was one of peace, fellowship and beauty, and now we take measures to ensure that if someday we open ourselves to the world again, we will not be so easily attacked."
He sat down on a fallen log and rested comfortably.
"What you see before you, as an Adhiel, and a member of the House of Thorns is how we hide our workings to the outside world. Where they shall see ruins and a rotting corpse, we shall build strength and power. What they believe to be abandoned, we will occupy and enhance."
"Have all of your questions been answered now? It is nearly time for you to enter."