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Post by Shitakibo on Jun 11, 2023 9:20:59 GMT -5
After finishing a meal of foraged berries and a small bit of her own rations, she packed her gear and began to help the others gather for another day of travel. Hopefully the trail would be calm once again, and there destination wasn't much farther ahead. Taki wandered through the camp, helping anywhere she could, from taking down tents to packing gear onto their respective wagons. As she helped the other groups, she refused any type of payment other than thanks and stories shared. Each group had a few spry and able members, who were diligently doing all they could to keep the others going through the harsh journey.
As the group was finishing their preparations and gathering about the caravan of wagons, she met up with Javal again.
"Ready for another day of grey rocks and nearly impassible terrain?" She asked, partly cheery and partly sarcastic in her tone.
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Post by Javal Zarrias on Jun 13, 2023 17:54:04 GMT -5
As Javal finished eating his meat skewer he made his way to help anybody he could to get ready to leave. As he was walking over to speak with his team he saw Lady Shitakibo .
“Hello there Lady Shitakibo, how're you doing today? As for if I am ready for a great day of traversing Dragon’s Cradle I am. It seems like everybody is good to go, let's continue on”, Javal says happily.
After catching up with Shitakibo Javal makes his way to his team and calls for all the shamans to prepare for departure. Soon the expedition is back on the road again and all of Drakon is in their assigned formations. The trip is long and continuous with not much diversity in the way of environment, just rocks, rocks, more rocks, and difficult paths.
After about three days of travel, the group decides to rest up for the night Javal sits down and hears a group of shamans talk about how they feel like the trip is close to reaching its destination the spirits are getting more powerful and restless. Javal gets up and walks away to lie down on a patch of grass paying no mind to the shaman's words. Soon he closes his eyes and tries to get some sleep before suddenly he feels the ground itself trembling and shaking. Javal jolts up and opens his eyes looking around for what could be happening, “Could it be the spirit of that basilisk from before?”Javal thinks to himself before looking around trying to see whatever the source of the rumbling was before looking straight ahead to see a monstrous beast slowly walking over to the encampment. The beast had the body of a lion and the face of a human with some sort of royal headdress on top of it. Javal rushes over to meet whatever new threat has just shown its face.
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Post by Shitakibo on Jun 14, 2023 12:51:39 GMT -5
Taki sat atop a shard of stone jutting from the side of a hill, meditating under the stars and enjoying the increasing presence of spirits. The last three days' travel had gone smoothly overall, and the river flowing from their destination had wound it's path in a ravine not far from the road. The other shaman had grown more excited and anxious at the increasing activity of the spirits. Some were worried another frightening horror would fall upon the group, a repeat of crossing paths with the Basilisk about a week ago.
The first signs of an approaching creature were the growing sound of heavy steps in the stillness of the evening. She uncurled from her seat, stood tall and climbed up higher on the hill for a moment to try and see what was approaching. What she saw surprised her, a large creature with the body of a powerful lion and the head of a regal humanoid crested with an embellished headdress. Taki took off running down the rocks, clearing the distance from herself to the camp just moments before the creature came strolling up to the edge of the group. She smiled, seeing Javal and his crew already taking up the defense for the others. The shaman had a sneaking suspicion this was another part of the trials of their journey, as such a being might not show itself to a group of strange people wandering through it's territory.
"Shamans, Spirit Seers, Oracles and other spiritual entities... you approach a sacred and precious place, and it is the humble task of my own spirit to ensure that all who enter are worthy of the experience and seek only benevolent ends while you're here. I will harm none who choose not to harm, now or further ahead. When you are ready, approach and I will ask of you the depth of your convictions, and challenge your wits." Spoke the strange creature, whose voice was calm, regal and gentle for such a powerful creature.
The others looked about to their groups and the folks they'd bonded with. It was a few moments before some of the more comfortable and confident figures stepped up to the guardian and formed a line. Each approached, and within a few moments were either asked to step beyond the creature, or to turn back from the path. Taki watched, observing all she could and hoping those who were turned away by the guardian would learn something and try again in the future. As the group thinned, those left behind were either like Taki, observers, but others had hesitated and were now in the throws of a private dilemna represented by the guardian.
Taki approached, steadying her breathing as she drew closer. The guardian affixed it's gaze to her, and she could swear it was peering into her very spirit, stripping away her body and leaving her bear in an unusual way. She met the creature's gaze with her own as the person in front of her was tested, and given a pass to the sacred grounds beyond. Taking the final step, she heard the guardian's voice in her mind.
"I walk on four legs in the morning, two during the day, and three in the evening. What am I?" They asked of her. She pondered for a moment before answering.
"A man, crawling as a baby, walking as an adult, and using a cane in their elderly years." Was her reply.
"Enter, and be at peace seeker." Responded the guardian.
"Would be alright if I asked something of you great one?"
"You may, though I may not have the answer to those questions."
"Those standing in front as you approached are our security, would some of them be permitted to join us beyond?"
"That I can permit, though only one may enter and must adhere to the sanctity of this place."
"Your kindness will not be sullied, or I shall offer my own life as penance for such folly."
"Very well. Enter when your security is prepared, if they wish to join you."
Bowing her head, Taki turned back towards the group. Her seeming rejection shocked many of the others, if only for a few minutes while she walked back to Javal and crew.
"I have asked on your behalf if some of you may be permitted to enter, the guardian has given leave for one of you to join us. If one of you wishes it, you may accompany us beyond this point. A word of caution, it is not just your own well being at stake in this..." With that ominous warning, she waited patiently for the group to decide if they wished to go further.
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Post by Javal Zarrias on Jun 25, 2023 12:35:26 GMT -5
Javal was currently standing in front of the Sphinx, he was initially worried that it was another enemy that was out to hurt the pilgrimage like the basilisk monster from earlier in the journey.
He had his hand on his katana cautiously approaching the monster, “Hello there good fellow, are you here to hurt or harm anybody here”.
“No not at all, I simply seek to test the people who have sought out the paradise that I am guarding. I am here to judge who here is worthy to pass through and provide my wisdom to those who need it”, the sphinx responded.
Javal backed off a little bit, walking back a few ways to let the shamans make a line and proceed ahead to have their wisdom judged by the guardian. His team approached behind him worried about the new set of circumstances he reassured them though that everything would be fine. He still had reservations about the whole thing, especially after seeing so many shamans that had made the days-long journey get rejected so quickly but he decided to accept it and watch on to see what happened.
His team stayed behind him trying to console the failed shamans as well as make sure nobody did anything rash about being rejected by the guardian. Javal is then surprised to see Shitakibo approach him after talking to the guardian if he thought anybody would be accepted and deserved to see their destination it was her.
“Is everything alright Shitakibo”, Javal asked worriedly only to be relieved that not only was she accepted but she had also guaranteed one of them free entrance.
The security team then all chuckled as Javal tried to figure out which of them should go with Shitakibo.
“Boss, we’ve all decided it should be who goes”, Bootsamon says through laughter.
“Oh”, Javal said genuinely surprised.
Javal then walks with Shitakibo toward the guardian and sees what was beyond them they were about to see their journey’s end. They were finally going to see what they had been working on getting after struggling for days. Javal couldn’t be more excited to find out what was in store.
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Post by Shitakibo on Jun 28, 2023 11:44:50 GMT -5
Beyond the guardian was a pathway of smooth worked stone, lined on each side by colorful grasses and a myriad of plants and flowers from all across Charon. Insects buzzed about, and small creatures poked their curious faces from the various coverings provided by the magnificent garden. The pair rounded a bend in the road, out of sight of the larger group and came upon a spectacular oasis of life. Fruit bearing trees and plants grew all along the edge of the path, and every color of flower imaginable dotted the grasses. The air was crisp, clean and carried a slight mist from the nearby falls. The falls themselves were a great rush of water, cascading in a steady arch from high above the secluded area and throwing off a rainbow of color along it's length where the sun's light passed through. How this place existed in the Spine could only be possible with the influence of spirits, as the harsh and rocky terrain wasn't keen to grow many things.
As Taki stared in wonder, she heard a familiar pair of voices and watched as her guardians appeared out of thin air. Not the wispy half conjuring of desperation or amorphous 'spirit lights' she usually encountered, but in their full splendor. Ryu was a floating serpentine dragon, akin to tales of river and sea guardians from her childhood. Keta was a powerful, panther like feline with a silvery coat and swirling teal markings. They rushed over and nearly toppled the shaman from her feet in their excitement, and she embraced the pair as if they were long lost family coming home again. After a few moments of joyous laughter and happy tears, she looked around to the others in their group to find she wasn't alone in this. Many, but not all, of the others were meeting their own spiritual companions for the first time, and each was as unique as the person they chose to accompany. She wasn't often rendered speechless, but her spirit was stilled by the marvelous landscape and the myriad of spirits and life that existed in seclusion for such a harsh and unforgiving place. It took her a good while to calm down from the emotional overload, and all the while her guardians accepted her gentle affection.
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Post by Javal Zarrias on Jul 4, 2023 20:20:32 GMT -5
Javal was completely mesmerized by the beautiful scenery. All around them, there were flora and fauna here that he thought he’d never see in his entire life.
He quickly bowed towards Shitakibo and said, “Thank you Shitakibo for allowing me to see this. I truly will never forget this”.
He looked around this truly was a paradise almost like a fantastical dream everything seemed like it was in such harmony. Everything here was so clear, all the spirits around them seemed so happy and the energy around them seemed like the complete opposite of his home, Dragon’s Cradle. Growing up and exploring the area he had gotten used to the rough and tumble environment filled with possibly dangerous things and areas that could kill you in an instant. But this was different; it was hard to even believe that they were here in Dragon’s Cradle. Javal was relaxing and basking in the warm and calming environment away from Shitakibo while she was having her moment with her spirits. It was nice and he wanted to give the group space he was already an outsider to all of this spiritual stuff and he didn’t want to intrude more than he already did by being here.
While he stood alone he was suddenly approached from behind by an eerie purple fox spirit with big yelled star-shaped eyes. He didn’t know what to do so he just stood there smiling, waiting for the fox to leave. It wouldn’t leave him.
Javal was about to walk away somewhere else when the fox spirit spoke, “You are more than you think you are. You are one of us star children, remember that”. As the figure spoke Javal felt something warm appear on his cheeks he looked into a nearby puddle two faint star-shaped marks appeared in his eyes and he noticed that they quickly disappeared.
“You are a star child” continues the star eyes fox spirit, suddenly the figure changes into a strange human female figure in regal clothes and says, “Remember who you are my child” and walks away from him leaving Javal in shock as to what just happened.
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Post by Shitakibo on Jul 4, 2023 23:14:24 GMT -5
Taki and her guardians walked about the gardens, interacting with the many spirits and creatures who resided in such a wondrous place. As they reached the falls, she stood in awe of the gentle seeming beauty of it's flow. She found a quiet spot on the edge of the river and sat down upon a smooth stone to meditate and give thanks. This place was marvelous, and she understood a bit more why this journey had been taken by so many before, and would continue to be taken by so many afterwards. She quieted her mind, stilled her spirit, and focused her senses outward. The sounds, smells, even the currents of air swirling about all slowly coalesced into a very different place. While it was still the gardens, it wasn't exactly Charon.
Crossing the barrier into the spirit realm was a bizarre sensation at first, but her guardians were there to greet her as she did. Their presence comforted the shaman, who was again taken aback by the splendor. For the veil to be so thin that she could cross it without much effort was an unfamiliar and incredible experience. This was her calling, to be like this place... a bridge between the realm of spirits and the waking world. She met many wonderful beings while the trio explored the area, but she was curious about the spirit of the great guardian of the area as well and decided to wander about in search of it.
Standing in the same place she'd last seen the majestic being, it's spirit was a gleaming mirror that gave off a powerful aura. She approached carefully, not wanting to cause hostility with such an ancient and magnificent spirit. Her companions on the other hand bounded ahead and pestered it with a familiarity that nearly mortified the Orochi. She winced, waiting to be tossed out or torn to bits. Instead, she heard a joyous laughter and watched as the three spirits tussled about and teased one another like old friends. She kept moving forward at the sight, relieved that she or her guardians had caused no offense.
"Welcome shaman, and fret not, you are protected in this place as all spirits are whom I deem worthy. Your companions are dear friends, and will watch over you with the same vigor as I watch over them. Learn, grow, live your life to it's fullest, that is all we Guardian Spirits could ever ask of another. Perhaps, when your spirit has grown, make this journey again on your own when you have the talents and skills needed."
"Thank you, and I will indeed take this journey again... such a place must be incredibly unique in all the realms. It may not be much, but you have my gratitude for the experience and wisdom you've shared, as well as allowing one of our guides and protectors to join us."
"Thanks and gratitude are appreciated, though it was your own skills and determination that made it possible. Keep your mind sharp, and your spirit flexible, before long you'll be visiting here any time you like."
She bowed low, her guardians doing the same as they joined her side. The world shimmered and wavered like the air above a campfire for just a moment, then she was back in her own body once again. She stretched and stood up, looking about to see many of the others had already departed and the sun beginning to hang low in the sky. Looking about, she spotted Javal and waved to him.
"I'm gonna head back now, see you when you're ready."
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Post by Javal Zarrias on Jul 5, 2023 1:01:41 GMT -5
Javal starts trying to chase behind the fox woman she can outmaneuver him and only keep him barely beyond reach.
“Please stop and explain to me who you are”, Javal yells as he runs.
The fox woman snickers and says, “Javal you must find out that answer for yourself young child. You have always stayed complacent intending on leaving your past as is. You have left the people you have lost behind without any indication of uncovering their lost truth. I will not tell you who I am until you can tell me who you are”.
Javal was starting to get frustrated. This fox woman was acting like she knew who he was and insulting him for no reason.
He yelled, “You don’t know me or anything about me stop acting like you do”.
The spirit then stopped in its tracks and turned back to face him, Javal stood in shock at what lay before him.
This fox female figure was dressed in regal clothing and had gray and black long hair but the thing that most surprised Javal was that her face looked extremely similar to his father's as well as his siblings.
“You’re, you’re”, Javal muttered in complete confusion.
“Yes, I’m your grandmother from your father’s side. You have more to find out my child, you must seek out the truth of who you are to reach your full power” The spirit then disappeared only a kind laughter was left.
Javal walked away simply confused about what the hell had happened, who was that person, was she his grandmother? He then stumbled across a leaving Shitakibo he decided that he had enough of paradise for now and it was time to leave. As he was walking alongside Shitakibo he explained to her all of what happened to him and asked her what she thought and if she knew what a star child was.
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Post by Shitakibo on Jul 5, 2023 4:39:20 GMT -5
As Taki was rounding the bend, Javal came strolling up and told her the story of his own encounter at the oasis. She pondered it's meaning for a good few minutes as they walked back towards the caravan. Star Child could have several cultural implications, but they all had one common link. As far as her own or any other culture she'd encountered, they all meant Celestials of some form or another.
She put a hand on his shoulder, stopping him for a moment before they got back to the group. "The only answer to your question I've come across in my travels is Celestials. Each culture refers to them in differing forms but they all are referred to as Star Children. Start there, research all you can within your own culture and family history and you'll find the link, the answer... but it will likely leave you with even greater questions." She explained, and offered her own insight. She wished she knew more, but at least it was a lead to get started with.
With that, she headed back to the group at large and greeted Nadia and the others as she rejoined the caravan. Many of those turned away seem dejected and or upset for one reason or another. Taki did her best to comfort and encourage them, to continue growing and pursue the goals that started them down this path. As the sun was setting and the caravan made camp for the evening, she set up her own tent and went around to each group with a suggestion. Together, they all gathered around a large, low bonfire to share a meal and the stories from the whole of their life. On into the late evening, under a star filled clear sky the group did their best to have a moment of comradery as their journey was coming to a close.
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Post by Javal Zarrias on Jul 6, 2023 15:47:53 GMT -5
Javal stood a little ways away from the rest of the group having Shitakibo’s hand on his shoulder pondering what Shitakibo had told him.
“Interesting, Celestial has some part of this whole thing huh, I wonder what they mean concerning me. After all from what I’ve been told all my life and what I’ve seen from myself all I know is that I’m half-human and half-fellblood. This gives me a lot to think about thanks to this experience although that spirit was a bit cryptic and odd. I believe they were right, I’ve been ignoring my past and trying to move forward. I need to find out what truly occured in my past”, Javal says out loud, still deep in thought.
He then turns to face Shitakibo, “Thank you Shitakibo for not just your help decoding that spirit but for everything, without you this entire pilgrimage may not even be alive today”.
The duo then walks over to the rest of the group and is greeted with excitement and a bombardment of questions from the people who failed.
Javal tells the pilgrimage “Don’t worry my friends I’m sure you can just try again next year, me and my company will help you if you want to all do this again”.
After the night of celebration and festivities, the group traveled back to Skypeak Village making the journey back to where the group started. Everyone including Javal was happy to return to their normal lives before this, looking forward to next year's expedition to do it all again.
Javal walks over to Shitakibo before he and his crew leave for the next adventure that lies before them and bow deeply before saying, “Thank you Shitakibo my friend once again I cannot thank you enough for all your help in this journey. Without you, this would not have gone as well as it did this time, your navigational skills as well as combat prowess allowed us to keep our casualty count low. Me and my crew are leaving and going wherever adventure takes us but I hope our paths come across each other again. If you ever need my blade or my company’s power just say the word and we’ll be there”, he then left after offering Shitakibo a friendly handshake and smile.
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Post by Shitakibo on Jul 6, 2023 17:58:52 GMT -5
Taki bowed politely to the man as things were wrapping up. She was glad that she could help others in their journeys, even if the outcome wasn't the one they expected.
"Same to you and yours Javal, feel free to come visit if you're ever in the Crescent Isles, or send a messenger if you need my help. Best of luck in your pursuits, and Nadia... do keep him out of trouble please. Reckless this one, you'll have your hands full." She chuckled softly and waved as they departed, catching a ship from port that would carry her close to home.
It would be good to return, there was still much work to be done before she could consider her home complete. With a clear set of goals for her life's journey in mind, and the help of her guardians, there was no doubt in her heart what she would be doing for the rest of her days.
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