☾ Aylin

[Alethryia]

Ugh, I went to go fetch medicinal plants for Reshel today and was met with complete and utter failure. The request was a simple one, and I've gathered these herbs countless times in the past- but never before with Iona. I was collecting the yellow flowers that grow in what I call the "hermit's hollow" when she suddenly flared up- knocking me off balance with her wings and hissing at a sumudu that had been hiding there. I was very suddenly aware of the speed at which I was approaching the ground- thankfully I was able to call the air to my aid and I was able to walk away from the fall with nothing more than a twisted ankle. I was too tired to heal it myself though and had to stumble my way home with my staff for assistance. Iona at least was happy with the snack she had caught, but I'm wary of taking her with me again until she can control the urge to hunt without me.

I was lucky this time, but such a fall could be disastrous. My ankle is still a bit tender, but Reshel was able to heal it with his magic, so I was still able to assist him with the preparation of other medicines for the townsfolk. I’m afraid that I may have disappointed him though, it was such an easy task and I completely botched it. I’ve wanted to spend more time training Iona, but I’ve been so caught up in my own that I guess I’ve been failing her. It’s really no excuse though- she was a wild sailscale and I should have known better than to just take her blindly home with me. I have to put her needs first- and she needs training, otherwise someone else could get hurt too, and I couldn’t bare being the cause. I should seek out Lasarra again for advice on how to proceed.

[WC: 323]  

[Alethryia]

I made my way to Sulburi for the summit yesterday with grave expectations, I was worried that there may be talk of war with all of the people disappearing recently, and to some extent my fears were justified. It won't be a war between Earthlings though, thank Serin, or even with the Alkidikes or dreadful Elaria, but with the Dretch. I've only heard whispered half-stories of them before having spent time with Alkidike hybrids. They're the stuff of children's nightmares and bedtime stories, or at least that's what we thought. But they do exist, and I'm glad I hadn't seen one before now- it used some strange magic to appear at the edge of the crowd and snatch someone away- right there in front of all of us! I’m completely mystified by what this could mean- it was like no magic I’ve ever seen or felt before.

I was speaking with an Alkidike when it happened, and she leaped right into action at the sight of the monster. But with its immediate disappearance (into thin air!) her arrow struck an Oban instead- and she seemed pretty shaken up by it all. I'm worried about her and want to be there for her if she feels like reaching out. We just met, so I don't want to press her, but I have a feeling that something terrible must have happened to her involving a Dretch, her eyes had the same haunted look mine did after the Oban attack on my village that robbed me of everyone I held dear. I know how deep that hurt goes, and how just having someone there you can rely on is what brings you out of the darkness. I won't abandon her, so I'm not leaving yet, despite my heart longing for home and reassurance of their safety.

[WC: 303]  

[Alethryia]

I'm glad I stayed rather than returning immediately to Jauhar. Yitzah-the Alkidike I was speaking to during the summit- came to me last week while I was grooming Airi. I’m glad she came to me for company, she was so upset by our encounter with the Dretch that she hardly spoke more than a few words. I was able to understand that she wanted to go hunting with me though, so we made our way back to the coast and searched the tide pools for prey. We were able to find a group of piplits, and while Yitzah successfully caught one, I decided that the unusually small one that I had captured in a sphere of water should be a friend, not food. . I've named her Kora and she's keeping Edwin company now, although the two can't be housed together of course as she comes from the sea.

I had offered to spar with her so we could train together before I leave for Jauhar, and today she took me up on that offer. While I’m glad she was able to speak more freely with me, I’m still worried about her. Yitzah seems so conflicted about what path to take from here, I pray that Serin is able to provide guidance to her so that her heart may heal and she can find clarity in what lies ahead. She’s so torn over whether or not she should return to her Sisters, and I know that it is not my place to weigh in on such matters- it is a culture not my own and I cannot begin to suppose that I know any of the Alkidike’s intricacies. She may decide to stay here in Oba to keep training, but I at least offered her the option of traveling with me should she decide to leave for the Chibali Isles. Serin knows I would be glad to have the company, traveling still feels safer with a companion, especially with the uncertainty that the Dretch bring.

[WC: 334]  

[Alethryia]

My last day in Jatine was surprisingly eventful given my sudden encounter with the painted egg tradition of Belrea. I truly love learning about the customs of different regions- even here in Oba where it meant learning about the culture that gave rise to the greatest tragedy ever to befall the village of my youth. That being said, I don’t know if I’ll ever face crossing the seas to visit Yael or Belrea. The thought of nothing but water for leagues on end is still overwhelming to me- the sea is just so vast. But who can know what lays ahead? A sudden turn of fate can lead one down an entirely different path from that which one first set out upon. I couldn’t have fathomed coming to Oba when I first moved to Ast with Biroki, and yet here I am having spent months in the territory that provoked only fear and anger in my heart not so many years ago.

I know I need to master my fear of fire so that I can be a better warrior and healer. I need to know that I can be relied upon in battle- that I won’t seize up if attacked by it and having the ability to wield it myself should the need arise. Just as I had to come to terms with wielding lightning through my tutelage with Biroki. It’s just… now I’m facing this challenge alone. His mentorship was crucial in learning to control such a destructive power, so I hope that those lessons carry over to another such destructive force. I had gone to my usual clearing to meditate on this, but was waylaid by the sudden festivities that the Geian brought here. If nothing else, this hunt for eggs resulted in a tasty lunch and a welcome distraction from the greater worries weighing us all down with the threat of Dretch around every corner.

[WC: 319]  

[Alethryia]

Well, today was the final day of the great gathering in Oba- even the Yaeli attended. I was shocked to hear so many people protest at the thought of helping the Alkidikes! The war with the extremists was so long ago, and they were just that-extremists- and they were banished and started that whole Elaria group because of it. The Alkidikes that still live in Jauhar have done nothing to provoke resentment here, so why was there so much opposition? I of course stood up and volunteered to go north and fight. It's about time I returned home anyways.  

[Alethryia]

Link to Strange Weather WE.