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 Posted: Wed Aug 16, 2006 12:11 pm
Inside her head, Fiala's thoughts swirled in turmolt.
You're leading them through YOUR forest, willingly no less, and delivering them to the Crystal Kingdom, to wreak havoc and whatever else suits their fancies. Sure, your king commanded it, but was he really serious? Perhaps he was being too hopeful and unrealistic of the conseqences this could bring.
Fiala continued to trot along, her soft boots hardly making a sound. Her traveling clothes blended her in better with the forest head than the grasses here, but it still was a bit disorienting to see her head, hands and other extremities not covered by her clothes, floating along as if the rest were invisible. She shrugged slightly, keeping her bow and quiver in the center of her back as she kept on, still thinking too much to really pay attention about what was said about her.
By now she really didn't care. Being insulted by peoples such as them really had no value by her concern. What her people thought of her was more important anyway. And yet... it still bothered her, deep down. Why did she want to be accepted by them? She wouldn't see them ever again once this mission was over, so why bother?
Closing her eyes, she told herself to stop thinking of such nonsense, and to keep her guard up around Niji.
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Posted: Wed Aug 16, 2006 8:42 pm
"Nothing much just wondering how we are going to get through the forest." said Jag.
"What?" her eyes widened, 'You mean you do not know if we have permission to cross the Forest Kingdom or if we have a special escort? Jag what are we going to do? The prince is waiting in the Ash Kingdom and we have no way of getting across safely? Is that what you're telling me?" she seemed a bit panicky ,"We can;t just go in there alone... can we?" she gave him a confused look, hoping for an answer.
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Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 4:08 pm
Oh crap Jag just did the most stupid thing and was he scared Jashe. Great job you idiot... he thought and sighed a little before looking back at the small princess. "Well your farther's recent news was a total shock to me, he never told me ahead of time and he never told me about getting word from the King of the Forest about us being able to pass on through..." thought his voice trailed off as he watched her, he needed to say something to comfort her, anything so she wouldn't be scared. "But I do have a good feeling about going through, the forest doesn't seem that threatening I believe we can pass through and if the King has heard any news about your marriage then who ever we come across should let us pass without bother." God he felt like an idiot, they should of just waited for the Ash prince to come to their kingdom instead of them leaving and having to go through the forest. but here they were and Jag silently watched the princess hoping for an answer.
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Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2006 2:37 pm
What Jag said did make sense. If the news of her marriage had reached all over her kingdom by now then most likely the forest kingdom as well. Especially since the Ash Kingdom had the same news. However, the princess was still a bit frightened. This would be her first time going into the Forest Kingdom. She had heard stories about the elves. Some good and some bad. She knew of their constant paranoia, and how they would shoot at anything without pointed ears. Or did that only apply to the winged people of the Sky Kingdom? The forests and skies had been at a constant vendetta for quite some time.
Jashe made her way to her horse and carefully mounted onto the saddle. She grabbed onto the reigns and took a deep breath while closing her eyes. "Alright then Paladin I trust your judgement. We shall venture into the Forest Kingdom just as we are supposed to." she whipped the reigns and her horse began to trot forward. Jashe held her head high and refused to open her eyes just yet. "I must gather my courage before it completely escapes me." she said in her mind. She didn't know why this had to be so difficult. She was stepping out on new hostile territory like a fish onto a beach. She would be vulnerable and unfamiliar with all around her. This fish only had its turtle to protect it against several gulls. Jashe didn't know what she'd do if something happened to Jag even if he did agree to protect her.
"Oh gosh fish on beach, fish on beach!!" she thought as her horse landed its front hoof into the forest. She took another deep breath as they entered new land.
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Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 1:41 pm
Saji frowned. Walking always made her yearn for the skies. As much as she enjoyed being on the ground in the company of the heavier races, it always made her wings ache for the open air. She took a deep breath and stretched her wings, then let the air out slowly.
Her eyes glanced up around the boughs of the trees. She could still see movement in the shadows. The wind shifted in too many directions in the surrounding trees for it to be a natural breeze. She looked down, a little annoyed. Her Corra expanded, then contracted, almost as though calming its own nerves.
Saji glanced at Fiala, feeling another wind change between the branches. She sighed, her wings shivering a moment to keep them from cramping with disuse before folding again down her back. She wondered breifly if the Rangers following, keeping an eye on thier party out of sight, planned to do little more than run around them between the trees. She had to admit though, that their skill, and that of Fiala's was quite extrodinary. The woman seemed to disappear into the foilage as Saji watched her. She had to look twice to make sure she was not, in fact, disappearing to leave them to whatever fate the forest chose.
When she did, she realized the girl was doing little more than simply leading them. Her transparency in the forest was no more than a natural thing, the woman didn't even have to think about it... Grudgingly, respect began to form for the woman.
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Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2006 6:41 pm
Jashe's heartbeat began to return to its normal pulse. This wasn't so bad. It was just a bunch of trees. A forestland that's all. There was nothing to be afriaid of, yet. Jashe looked back at Jag and have him a bit of weak smile. She wanted slow her horse so his could catch up enough for them to be beside one another. She would love just to talk to him. Just a little something to calm her down further. However, doing this would be a safety hazard. She was supposed to be directly in front of him so he could watch her just in case of an assassination attempt. Plus talking to him would distract him from his duty.
Jashe looked around. This place was so very lush and beautiful in its own way, but also very creepy. Some might say the forest was serene but Jashe thought it was much too quiet. It was as if no birds wanted to sing because they were afraid. No furry creatures scurried about nor any bugs wanted to pester them. No one was there but the trees, the sentries of the forest constantly watching them.
"Oh don't be ridiculous Jashe," she thought, "you think as if trees were actually watching us." she smiled softly.
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Posted: Sat Aug 26, 2006 7:09 am
Trotting along, left too much time for thinking. Running did as well, but this was far too leisurely for her liking. Glancing around at her travelers, she wondered what their limit was or perhaps their paces. Surely they could go faster if need occurred? Well, Niji was assured, but she had her doubts about Saji. It was obvious she was made for the sky, but how did she fare on the ground with the rest?
She had to give her credit, though haltingly, in her mind's view. Her element was the air, hers is of course earth. Neither was sympathetic to the other, but harsh in their dealings of it's opposite. Fiala had to hand it to her, enduring the earth instead of her sky. Had she sprouted wings and flew, she wasn't sure if she could keep such composure as Saji had here and now.
In either case, it seemed too early to try and push arriving there soon. Even at her speeds it would take close to a week in the thinnest part of the wood. So she had to content herself with her brisk trot, and occasionly ensure that the others were keeping pace.
Breezes played with her slightly curly hair, making the trees sigh as their leaves rustled. Music to Fiala's sensitive ears. How she longed to just run right up the nearest tree and perch herself among the branches and leaves, listening to this natural orchestra. She kept her feet rooted, not wishing or able to shurk her duties for idle hobbies.
Calmly she stepped over a rising tree root, and not too long from that, a sideswiping branch. She gave some of the trees a look, guessing they weren't approving of this situation much, and blamed her for it. Not my fault, she thought. She could only hope the others were quick on their toes about little things like this.
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Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2006 9:17 pm
Saji, still watching their guide, noticed her duck the branch. She glanced upward, wondering if she could glide over it. Deciding not to, she looked down, barely seeing the root in time to jump, stretching her wings then tipping them forward and ducking, making it under the branch, the top grazing her back as she ducked. She landed lightly, folding her wings again and taking a few steps, looking back at Niji and Mortujak, mainly behind them simply to double check their path behind.
She blinked her brows furrowing. She didn't recognize the backwards path. Her eyes narrowed. Another reason she disliked this forest. When she turned, she came face to face with a branch she hadn't remembered being there a moment before. Her lips pierced and she sighed, dodging carefully around it, only to have another branch brush her wings. She paused, carefully taking in a breath. Claustrophobia began to set in suddenly. Her hands twitched slightly as she looked around at all the trees. The branches seemed to be everywhere around her, like a makeshift aviary. Open skies, or dense forest. She looked up. The tops of the trees were open, as though the sky were beckoning, calling comfortingly to her as the forest seemed to say her welcome had been long spent. She tensed, as though she might leap into the air.
"...Just a moment..." She mutttered.
"We'll never find our way back to them," Her Corra swirled in front of her. "You know that. The branches will close behind. Breathe Saji. The air is just the same here as in the skies. If anything, it should be better due to the cooler climate."
"Very funny..." Saji closed her eyes, letting out the breath she'd taken slowly. "I'm good. Lets go." She openned her eyes again, calm and collected once more, at least on the outside. How in all the clear skies was she to get this forest to tolerate her? "Honestly, I'm not even gonna try to be liked, just tolerated!" She muttered.
"Good luck with that..." Her Corra sighed, floating along close beside her.
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Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2006 5:14 am
Occasionally Fiala glanced back behind her to ensure everyone was still with the group. Often times she had to realize she needed to slow down some. It wasn't their paces by any means, they were fit. It was the tree's faults on that. They simple weren't used to ducking and dodging every step.
Poor Plains and Sky people, she thought.
She did feel unusal sympathy for the Thunderwalker. Her kingdom was the wide open skies, not the close confines of trees. Although, it did make her wonder why she continued on with the ground group. Surely it'd be easier and faster for her to fly?
Fiala thought on this for a while, only ending up shruging and grudgingly accepting that there was a lot more about Saji that met the eye, and was interesting as well. However, guessing her motives kept her mind busy, because dodging branches and tree roots were like breathing they were so second nature.
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Posted: Mon Sep 04, 2006 11:48 am
Niji's feet moved almost as if they were trained for such a ting, dodging the trees. A moment or two more could agitate him somewhat. He knew how to stop them and held out his free hand infront of him.
He clicked his fingers and a flame ignighted on the tips of all his fingers. He closed his eyes and walked along knowing the trees wouldn't 'play with him as long as he had some sort of fire. The ash kingdom has threatened it before - to burn down the forest. They were once so Imperialistic in their views of progressing their territory line but the threat was an empty one - Niji's father took the throne a month later and wanted to instead build up the economy and defenses of their territory. If they did happen to go to war elsewhere and an enemy attacked home - the capital could've fallen without his Father's wise dicisions on the throne.
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Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2006 7:25 pm
It took Fiala only a little while to realize that she smelled smoke, and where there's smoke, there is fire. Turning around sharply, she neatly hopped over a sideswiping root as she looked around for the fire's origins. It was to her great surprise that it was Niji who conjured it.
She started to really let him have it, until it really hit her who she was talking to. As confident as she was with her fighting skills, she'd heard too many warstories of his to dampen her confidence. Instead, she tried a nicer approach.
"Trees aren't exactly fond of fire, obviously, but the more you carry that flame about, and the longer you hold them at bay, the more their resolve to get rid of you will grow. It's one of the reasons we don't use torches at night. The fireflies we catch are our only light source because of it, that I promise you, Blood Prince," she stated with as light a tone as she could muster.
Her paranoia about the trees retaliating grew as while she had spoke, and she glanced about nervously afterwards.
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Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2006 7:51 pm
When Fiala jumped to the side, Saji openned her palm, her Corra shooting around her hand. She didn't conjure her weapon yet, but waited as the ranger turned to address the Prince. Her eyes narrowed and she tensed, her wings stretching only slightly.
As Fiala spoke she clenched her hand around her Corra, the cloud covering her entire hand now. She felt a branch brush up against her wing, but ignored it, watching Fiala and glancing at the trees around them. The shadows had stopped moving, as though waiting. Her eyes narrowed.
Saji looked to Niji, waiting for the word. Her weapon would be conjured almost before anyone could move, as fast as a lightning bolt from the sky.
"This is why we should just try to go over..." Saji's Corra muttered. Saji made no reply, instead waiting at the ready.
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Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 12:41 pm
Niji's eyes watched the elf as she addressed him with the name, Blood Prince. He could feel his sword rattling at his side - a howl echoing in his mind about all he was capable of doing was killing and destroying. He felt the sudden thirst for blood again - this was what he was created for. To be the nemisis to all so they could all have something to fight against - for what is a hero without his villian.
He clicked hsi fingers, the flame disapearing. The second it went out the nearest trees lashed out against him. He had to do it. It was the only way to ensure his own survival. He drew his sword. The tree stopped instantly in mid-strike as Niji's veins began to turn pitch black, twisted thorns jutting out of the shifting runes his veins made along his sword arm - stained with his blood. There was an echo in everyone's mind. A sinking in each of their hearts. Like how a dying man would ready himself for his last breath. When Niji spoke - it was not his own voice,
"Keep your trees at bay, elf." He said - his blood red eyes glaring at her from the corner of his eye, "For I shall protect my master as I see fit. I will rend to shreds and shards that which makes attempts on his life."
A huge black wing came out from his left shoulder blade. The black shifting runes gathering from that point and moving across his body.
"Your trees should like the fire. The fire destroys in one season but allows the trees to come back ten fold in the next. With the races that litter this world Creation can only come from destruction."
The left side of Niji's face began to form the face of something so unholy it made the trees white and the grass wilt as it took shape. Then his left arm shook, and with great effort he sheathed his sword. The swirls along his arm diminishing as the hilt tapped against the sheath's casing. Niji's eyes were closed, his body unnaturally calm.
"Please," he said softly, "My foes call me the Blood Prince. It is the last thing they shout before my sword devours their life." He opened his eyes looking up at Fiala, "You may call me by my name, Niji." He made a smile and held out his right hand, "I promise I will call you by name as well - if you so prefer. I'd rather not tempt my gaurdian again." His hand waited in kindness for a handshake to seal the promise he had layed out for her.
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Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 4:12 pm
Jag's harden eyes sliently watched the trees as they slowly moved through the forest; he has heard his fair share of stories of people entering and most of them returning but there are those who don't come back at all. One thing he had learned while in here was to never light a fire, the tress here seem to be more than just plants and will come at you if you create even a tiny flame. The blond hair man sighed as his horse went at a nice trotting pace, making it's way over dirt and rocks and the few fallen trees; he just hoped they could get the hell out of there before any elf decide to come for a chat since the odds of them being left alive may not be so good.
((After so long this is all I can come up with? ARGH!!!! stressed ))
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Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 8:51 pm
Jashe looked around when a bluebird zipped across the path in front of her. It flew high into the sky. Her eyes couldn't help but follow it. She blinked with a confused look on her face. The sky was a darker blue. However, their were no storm clouds in sight. Not only that but the sun was lower. It was closer to the horizon. In her kingdom when the sun was around this position it was the middle of the evening. However, it was no where near so late at night. How was this even possible?
"Ah!" exclaimed Jashe, "Jag will we experience night darkness while in the forest?" she asked looking back. She sounded excited.
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