The Expedition
IS OFFLINE
4
Renown
Male
Unaffiliated
"Ulrich, you will have to let go of what you loved then to protect the things you love now."
452 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Ulrich Ambriz on Sept 15, 2022 5:01:59 GMT -5
Ulrich's eyes stared worriedly into the distance as Kamille mentioned that the beast might have participated in a tournament. There was a tournament? The Hydra Goose participated?
Ulrich accepted the waterskin again. He took a gulp as he prepared to answer her question of his encounter with the beast.
"I've only ever seen the carnage it leaves in it's wake as a man. As a child, I witnessed it stalking through the tree line of Kingswood— on a stormy night, as cliché as that is. A group of hunters never returned from the forest, and I figured out why before the adults did..."
He held the waterskin out for her to take when she'd flipped the page to see the drawing of a certain Tiefling Bard.
He was taken by surprise at her excitement to his drawing. His expression of surprise turned into joy, and a laugh escaped him.
"So we were talking about the same Tiefling then! I do indeed know Cantio! As you could probably guess, this is the spot which I met him! Doing the exact same thing we're doing now! He's doing fine! I've run into him here and there. Always a bit comical, really!"
Another laugh came from him, but this time it was unrestrained.
|
|
Noble
IS OFFLINE
25
Renown
Moonglade
1,501 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Lady Kamille Verlithax on Sept 17, 2022 4:37:12 GMT -5
Kamille laughed along, so taken by his happiness she couldn't help. Such amazing coincidence! It's been a long time since she last thought about Cantio. At the time, he felt to her like a "good boy", and didn't look so happy about it. She hopped everything turned out fine for him, and that the world was gentle to him.... But she doubted that last part. Either way, if he went out adventuring with Ulrich, he must have changed a bit, she assumed.
"What a coincidence! This is a small world, after all! So, he went out to adventure like I thought! Good for him........ I hope to hear from his adventures soon... But first, I wanna hear yours."
With that, she took another good gulp of her waterskin and handed it back to him, crawling a bit closer with her arms around her legs, as if to intently listen in to his story as an eager child.
"I'm sorry for interrupting... You said you saw the creature near Kingswood....... Then what happened?"
A new exciting rosy color painted her cheeks, and it was hard to say if it was the ale's fault or simply because of that storytelling oportunity. Could be both, really.
|
|
The Expedition
IS OFFLINE
4
Renown
Male
Unaffiliated
"Ulrich, you will have to let go of what you loved then to protect the things you love now."
452 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Ulrich Ambriz on Sept 22, 2022 4:43:26 GMT -5
Ulrich nodded at her request. His mind flashed back to the time he shared his story with Cantio and Shaa.
"I witnessed it as a boy... Some of the older men formed a hunting group that ventured into Kingswood for food. Day turned into night and they still hadn't returned. The village had decided to settle in for the night... And that's when I'd seen it— stalking through the tree line of Kingswood. I can still hear the sound it made as it stared back at me through the trees... It seemed to be a laugh. It was almost human, but I knew better. Then it shrieked into the night with that terrible sound it makes. It woke the village up with it's cries, and I— I was too afraid to even leave the safety of my home..."
He let out a long breath through his nose as a shiver traveled up his spine.
"They figured out what happened to the hunting party in the morning. Of course, I had already figured it out the night before when the beast seemingly stared into my soul."
He closed his eyes, an uneasy smile forced itself across his face as he turned to Kamille.
"Over the years I've seen the carnage left in it's wake through Kingswood. You do not want to be caught in the Wood at night."
|
|
Noble
IS OFFLINE
25
Renown
Moonglade
1,501 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Lady Kamille Verlithax on Sept 29, 2022 10:50:12 GMT -5
As she passed the waterskin back to him, she inched a bit closer, still holding his older journal on her lap.
"You were a boy then. I'm sure you'd be able to handle it now. Though I know we carry some fears into our adult life, I'm sure you'd be able to face it now."
For a minute, she put a hand on his and squeezed in a reassuring way, before taking the waterskin again and taking a sip.
"After.... all of this happened....... have you ever thought about going back? About facing it again? Or at least.... trying to find out where it is now?"
Despite the horrifying stories, that only seemed to serve to make her curious, even if she felt a chill down her spine.
"Interestingly enough, Father Ginma seems to be trying to lure me to his home.... Interesting stories.... Interesting people...."
She winked playfully at him.
|
|
The Expedition
IS OFFLINE
4
Renown
Male
Unaffiliated
"Ulrich, you will have to let go of what you loved then to protect the things you love now."
452 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Ulrich Ambriz on Oct 4, 2022 12:46:52 GMT -5
Ulrich managed a small smile as she voiced her support of him facing something he'd feared for so long from his childhood.
"I suppose you are right. It's just that some things tend to scar us more when we're that young," he said with a gentle laugh.
She'd asked a good question. He'd been so busy traveling Charon, he'd barely even thought about the beast in passing.
"I cannot say that I have thought about doing any of that. I've been so preoccupied with the business of traveling that the thought of even trying to face it has slipped my mind entirely."
At the mention of Ginma, he turns his gaze back to her. Has she met a few others from King's Valley? It could be that he has met them as well. You'd be surprised how many people know each other mutually in this land.
"So he's enticed you? Interesting people, you say? Well, I can say that the people of King's Valley can be quite interesting sometimes."
He gave her a big smile as flashes of his home and the people of his land filled his head.
|
|
Noble
IS OFFLINE
25
Renown
Moonglade
1,501 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Lady Kamille Verlithax on Oct 7, 2022 15:39:26 GMT -5
Kamille took another sip of the waterskin before offering it back to Ulrich. She lowered her eyes to his sketchbook, lazily browsing through the pages. A small, bittersweet smile crossed her lips for a moment.
"Actually, I just met one person.... Two, counting with you. But if this is the trend, I should totally go visit the plains someday!"
She chuckled, blushing ever so gently - it was hard to say if it was her own self doing that or the alcohol. Kamille seemed to be remarkably resistant to alcohol for her tiny frame.
"Either way, on a different tone... What was it like to grow up at the plains? Does everyone worships Ginma there, like they say?"
That last bit got out with a kinda incredulous tone, as if she disapproved it. Which was ironic, since Ginma was the first God to bless her with her powers.
"My time at court was kinda... confusing, on that regard. People there come from all the places, worshipping all the Gods, and yet it's.... It felt kinda void of emotion, as if their allegiances were merely for the purpose of keeping up appearances. But outside of the capitol, things are much different."
|
|
The Expedition
IS OFFLINE
4
Renown
Male
Unaffiliated
"Ulrich, you will have to let go of what you loved then to protect the things you love now."
452 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Ulrich Ambriz on Oct 11, 2022 12:56:17 GMT -5
Ulrich took the waterskin and took another sip. His face lit up as a smile traveled across his face.
"Ah, so you've met another plainsman! Who would that be, if you don't mind me asking? There is a possibility I've met them before!"
Ulrich noticed her gentle blush. He looked off to the side to no one in particular— they were the only two out here, after all.
Ah, so it's like that, eh? It would be better not to pry any further then.
He was trying to keep his distance from her. Running into Kamille, catching up, and having a drink was all fun, but he needed to remember to keep from getting too close to anyone.
Ulrich recalled memories of his childhood. Growing up in the plains was not a good experience for him...
"Growing up a plainsman has it's positives. The communities all help each other, they hunt together, they sometimes travel together. Families mix and you meet many new people traveling through the Valley. That's how my parents met, as a matter of fact!"
His expression darkened a bit as the less enjoyable images came into his mind.
"Yes, Ginma is worshipped by all. All, if not, most are blessed by him. I was one of the exceptions... I did not share a connection with Ginma as everyone else did. It wasn't until later in my life that I found out that another certain Goddess decided to smile upon me instead." His smile slowly returned as he offered the waterskin back to Kamille. "Well, enough of that! You don't need to be burdened with my horrible experiences!"
"From what I've seen, most of it is superficial. Most of them haven't experienced the gods' blessings... not like we have."
|
|
Noble
IS OFFLINE
25
Renown
Moonglade
1,501 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Lady Kamille Verlithax on Oct 13, 2022 16:57:30 GMT -5
The waterskin was already halfway through it. It didn't have that strong scent of alcohol, which was certainly bad news: they would both feel the punch when it was already too late.
"His name was Zak. Z'khrta Putok, in fact, but he goes by Zak. We met during the championship that took place at Sol City a couple months ago. We took a few drinks, but.... Do you have this feeling, sometimes? That you'll never see someone again?"
The memory of the tribesman brought a gentle smile to her lips, as she stared into the fire. She heard Ulrich's stories with renewed interest, of life at the plains, about how his parents met, but frowned when he shut down and labeled his past as 'horrible experiences'. Kamille received the waterskin back, but seemed to remain thoughtful for a moment.
"Ginma is........... a difficult God. I'm not entirely sure I like him. I used to hate him. I would love to have received healing powers, but I have to be content with a poor substitute.... potions, teas...... Looks like we can't always get what we want..."
She finally took one more sip from the waterskin, a larger gulp. Kamille seemed to be hesitating for a moment, pondering whether she should say something or not. Maybe she could blame it on the alcohol later?
"You scared me."
Kamile faced him again. That was a complicated face she was making, as if she regreted saying it before saying it, and at the same time feeling the urge to continue.
"You know... That night, with the cultists...... And then I kinda feel ashamed of that, because... The gift Avasha gave you is not much different from the one I received from Ginma. It is terrifying on the outside, but in the end, it is a tool, and a tool is as good as its wielder. And you, right there and then, helped me. I have much to thank you for that. Not only for helping me with the situation, but this also helped me see myself in a different light... I'm sorry if I was weird for a moment after that. I was feeling awkward..."
She looked away at that, a shy rosy tint taking her cheeks once again. She passed on the waterskin to him.
|
|
The Expedition
IS OFFLINE
4
Renown
Male
Unaffiliated
"Ulrich, you will have to let go of what you loved then to protect the things you love now."
452 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Ulrich Ambriz on Oct 16, 2022 20:39:04 GMT -5
Ulrich's eyes lit up at the mention of Zak's name. Of course Kamille had crossed paths with the same man.
"Ah, Zak! So you've met him as well! It seems that you and I run into a lot of the same people," then the gleam in his eyes faded as she continued with her question. "...Yes. I know the feeling all too well..."
She mentioned the God of the Earth Domain. The God of Stone and Fire... The one who shunned him.
"Ginma certainly is confusing to some at times. As you have heard me say before, I hated him as well. Not so much now as I did then..." Ulrich brought his hand up, streaks of electricity dancing around his fingers. "No... We cannot always have what we want. We make do with what we are given."
His jaws clenched as she spoke the words. He'd scared her back then on that night. He turned to face her— embarrassment and shame in his eyes as he remembered what she witnessed from him. He'd lost control in front of her... Letting the darkness inside of him take over and engulf the cultists.
"It was nothing, Kamille. I'm sure you would have done the same for me had our roles been switched that night. You're one of the many friends I've made on my travels, and I'd hate to lose you. When I'd seen that both you and Mischief had been hurt I-... Well, you obviously saw what I'm capable of. I'm sure you started to see me in a different light then as well."
He let out a slight chuckle. His signature warm smile returning to his face as she turned away, offering him the waterskin. He gently took it from her hand.
"It's alright, Kamille. I'd thought it would be a little awkward between us after that night. A lot had happened between the two of us."
He took another sip of the waterskin, and he now noticed how close she was to him. She'd closed the distance between them, again. No matter how much he tried to distance himself from her, it seemed she always found a way to close it. His glasses had started to fog up. It was the alcohol that was contained in the drink, no doubt. He proceeded to take his glasses off and place them inside of his satchel. Behind the lenses his eyes were a dull blue, but now one could see all the details within them. A bright blue lit by the yellow and orange flames dancing in front of them. He ran his fingers through his hair, pushing it back out of his face.
"I would hope that you do not feel that awkwardness now." He said offering the waterskin back to her.
|
|
Noble
IS OFFLINE
25
Renown
Moonglade
1,501 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Lady Kamille Verlithax on Oct 20, 2022 6:44:31 GMT -5
"If our roles had been the opposite, I would have gladly fought for you. And then maybe, you'd see there's nothing to be ashamed of. We have our role too, even if it may not be the ones we'd like. Maybe that’s by design, though, that the Gods chose to give power to those who would rather not have it. It makes sense."
Kamille stared into the fire for a moment. With a flicker of the wrist, the flames danced before them, a series of images shaped in fire flashing before them: a raven flying, a ship fighting a storm of a sea of flames, a couple waltzing and spinnking, two men sparring with training swords and a few more. Then, she stopped and turned to take another sip on the waterskin. An idea sprouted in her mind - the kind of idea only drunk people have. She could always blame the booze afterwards....
He talked about things being awkward between them, and slowly going back to normal, but....
"Awkward is interesting, let's keep it like that. For instance, I couldn’t help but notice a few choices of words..... and as you may as well know, I'm a very perceptive person.... and curious...."
Mainly curious, really......
".....And I can almost smell the heartbreak. Tell me everything about it. And don’t try to deny it, I've seen it all: the aloofness, the superficial smiles.... I can do the math. I can grace you with my own story, if you'd like."
|
|
The Expedition
IS OFFLINE
4
Renown
Male
Unaffiliated
"Ulrich, you will have to let go of what you loved then to protect the things you love now."
452 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Ulrich Ambriz on Oct 23, 2022 15:25:23 GMT -5
A reluctant smile found it's way onto his face as she spoke. She is a very perceptive woman, and he shouldn't be surprised that she's picked up on things.
A sadness creeps into his eyes as he stares at the fire before them. He brings his hand up over his mouth as he ponders and recalls the memories of the heartbreak Kamille has already picked up on. A sigh escapes him through the nose and his hand returns to its place on his thigh.
"Very perceptive of you, Kamille." He says with another smile. Only this time, it is quite obviously superficial. He hasn't even looked away from the fire either.
"I will tell you about her then." He turns to her now, the sadness hadn't left his eyes at all. "I had a dear friend in my youth; Judith. Her parents met each other in the plains just like mine. When our families met for the first time, we were only 3 years of age. Growing up, we bonded over the fact that we were the same in the regard of being half breeds. Sure, we had friends, but... we were alone in our disconnection to Ginma. All the others had a connection with him while we did not, and we hated him for it."
His gaze travels to the night sky above, illuminated by the stars and the moon.
"Judith and I had grown into our teenage years when we'd met a certain friend of my parents', our Master... They made us realize that our disconnection with Ginma was the result of another goddess' blessing. Avasha. Avasha had chosen to bless us with her power, and so, our Master had chosen to stay and teach us all there was to know about the power of the Sky Domain. We trained for years, mastering hand to hand combat, the use of the Sky Domain, the skills needed to survive travelling out into the world..."
He looks back down into the fire. His jaw clenching as the memories flash in his head.
"We made plans to come back and visit our families from our travels... And for a while, it happened exactly as we planned. Then one day she never came back, she never returned to the Valley. I learned that they had searched for her for a long time before I'd come back for my visit..."
Tears seemed to be forming in Ulrich's eyes, but he blinks them away.
"She was a very dear friend to me and I wasn't there for her. I never saw her again." There is a pause, then he takes in a deep breath and exhales, "In her memory, I've been traveling the world. It's what she would've wanted."
|
|
Noble
IS OFFLINE
25
Renown
Moonglade
1,501 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Lady Kamille Verlithax on Oct 26, 2022 8:19:53 GMT -5
Kamille listened with intent, without interrupting him once, just nodding to indicate she was paying attention. She had an overall suspicion of what his story might encompass based on the detachment, the distance, keeping everyone at arms length. And still, the true, whole story still came as a surprise. She had the experience of losing a truly important connection without knowing what truly transpired, and the worst part was the lack of a closure. To an extent, she understood what he was going through.
As to briefly distract him from his own sorrow - and because she tried her best to keep her word and not to owe anyone anything - she summarized briefly a part of her story she knew he wasn’t aware of.
"I left Court because my lover was promised to another. His father wanted me to marry his bastard son instead, who so happened to be my rival too. I decided to leave. Close this chapter of my life and begone. Which is... a fairly better prospect than what you went through, I believe. The closure is important. To lose someone to unknown fate is worse than death - when someone dies, we mourn them, we cry for them and cherish their memories. We bury with them our hope of seeing them again. But without knowing what happened to them... our hearts are filled with both hope and discouragement."
Clearly, she seemed to speak of the subject from experience. She rested her hand on his arm. Her eyes, should he look at her once more, was determined.
"Which is why I'm willing to help you..... if you want. If you want to know what happened to her - whatever it was - I can aid you. I may have means you do not. Give me the word and I will help you find her or discover her fate."
Kamille seemed genuinely interested in his story, in lifting him up to see him happy - or at the very least, have some much needed closure.
|
|
The Expedition
IS OFFLINE
4
Renown
Male
Unaffiliated
"Ulrich, you will have to let go of what you loved then to protect the things you love now."
452 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Ulrich Ambriz on Dec 12, 2022 0:15:50 GMT -5
Ulrich listened to Kamille's offer and his gaze never leaves the fire in front of them. He ponders on it, and a slight look of sadness fills his eyes once more.
The details of Judith's fate have haunted him for years, and he never actually got over it. The Unknown plagued his heart and mind as he traveled. No matter how happy he felt in the passing moments, no matter how much his spirits were lifted by the random acts of kindness he performed, and the many thanks he was given... It was never enough to drown out the pain he carried with him.
He gently bites the inside of his bottom lip in an attempt to hold back the sorrow from spilling over.
He looks over to Kamille and locks eyes with her, "Even though it's been so long, a part of me says that she's still out there somewhere. That she's alive... and well, and I—" his voice quivers and he struggles to keep it clear, "And I need to know why she never came back. If she is indeed alive... Then I just want to know why she never came back."
Finally, the pain he's been holding back becomes too much, and the wall that held the tears from falling gives way. The tears run down his cheeks and he attempts to wipe them away, but they're too falling too fast. He's not one to show so much emotion to the people around him, but this night is an exception. It was something that he needed to desperately talk about for a long, long time. Who better to do that with than with a friend?
|
|
Noble
IS OFFLINE
25
Renown
Moonglade
1,501 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Lady Kamille Verlithax on Dec 13, 2022 5:13:20 GMT -5
Kamille thought she knew a fair bit about Ulrich, in fact, and could see the consequences of choices and the path he took. She was no stranger to holding up to hope someone would be okay or alive, and the dreadful feeling of uncertainty as any outcome was actually possible, while none was known. For his sake, Kamille hoped she was alive and well - and if he allowed, she would help him search for her. Helping one's love story go through to the end usually got her excited, but all she felt now was a sinking feeling in the bottom of her stomach - maybe because she had a feeling this story wouldn't have a happy ending. People didn't just dissappear without a good reason. People didn't just... vanish.
Tears stirred in his eyes, and she felt her heart ache, feeling her own eyes burning. Tears were old friends of her and usually came easy for the Witch, whether for her own emotions or others. She had never before expected it from Ulrich, which only meant he must've bottled his emotions for way too long. Far from judging, she hoped they would bring some relief for his pain.
The Witch wasn't known for hesitating much, but yet she did. She hesitated, for she didn't know how he would react. She hesitated, because there was no telling what kind of emotions could be brought up while they still flowed. She hesitaded, but ultimately, she wanted to do it.
Kamille scooted over a bit closer. She had always been of the opinion that, while words had meaning and power, actions would always hold it's own, heavy weight. And she felt that what he needed right now were actions, not words. Attentive to his reactions, Kamille slided one arm behind him, resting her hand on his shoulder to the opposite side and squeezing lightly. She wasn't trying to be sneaky in any way, paying attention to any gesture that would indicate he was uncomfortable with it. If Ulrich allowed her, she would bring him into a warm, soft, sideways hug, in an attempt at comforting him and be a comfortable shoulder to cry on. Everyone needed that once in a while, and it pained her that Ulrich had to hold for so long alone.
|
|
The Expedition
IS OFFLINE
4
Renown
Male
Unaffiliated
"Ulrich, you will have to let go of what you loved then to protect the things you love now."
452 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Ulrich Ambriz on Dec 22, 2022 5:26:55 GMT -5
Ulrich had indeed noticed what she was doing as she scooted closer, wrapping her arm around him. The tears continued to travel down his cheeks as he stared into the fire. She would feel him take in a deep breath, his shoulders rising and then falling as he exhaled. His eyes closed and he let his head drop slightly as he let his shoulders relax.
He let his head gently fall onto Kamille's shoulder, and then he finally let it all overtake him. All the pain he had ignored all this time, pushed down inside of the deep pit within his heart. He let all of it take hold on him, and fresh new wave of tears started to fall.
"I pushed all of it down for so long. I just—" He was in between sniffles, which made it difficult for him to get the words out. "Just— thank you, Kamille..."
There was a pause as he considered her offer of assistance yet again. Another exhale of air and he sadly nods to himself.
He finally manages to get the words out.
"I-I think... I will take you up on that offer then."
As if on queue, a gentle breeze blew through, and it caused Ulrich to look up in the night sky. He wasn't sure what to make of it, but he had a slight feeling deep down that this message— this whisper of the winds— was an ominous warning. This story would not have a good ending...
|
|