From Eturia to Ostia

[Ethan]

Ethan walked alone along the long dirt road away from Etruria, gradually making his way into Ostian territory. He had heard old tales about Ostian might in terms of military force, so he made sure to reaffirm in his mind that he was here merely for travel and to find his parents. Each step he took on the road caused a small cloud of dust to rise in his wake, the sun bearing down on him with barely a cloud in the sky. While it was only pleasantly warm, the brightness of the area made it hard to look up, especially when he heard birds overhead. In terms of flora, the ground was covered in a luscious field of green grass, going as far as the eye could see in either direction of the path on which he traversed.

[Ethan]

He held a hand up to his forehead and looked around. It was entering the early stages of the afternoon and he’d been walking all day since the run in with those bandits on the road earlier. Ethan was searching for a place to stay the night, mainly because it would be wiser to camp out somewhere with shelter rather than in the open. He also figured that animals would also want to be somewhere shady, as the combined light and heat would make a good contrast in terms of keeping cool. He spotted the beginnings of a forest a little ways to the east, bringing him away from his southern headed journey.

[Ethan]

Ethan reached the outer border of trees and began to trek into the thick overgrowth. His senses were sharpened, for as soon as he set foot into the forest, it became dramatically harder to see. While this proved no direct problem, Ethan did have the fear that he would undoubtedly fall over a gnarled root or something, sometime in the near future. He took each step carefully, hearing the sound of twigs snapping as he foot landed on each of them in turn. There was a strange serenity about the place, quite possibly because of the fact that it was quiet, but the sounds of nature created a soft ambience around him. He continued on further, and eventually came across a clearing in which a single sapling stood proud in the center.

[Ethan]

Light shone down from above in the clearing, illuminating the sprout that stood in the center of the clearing. Ethan took the time to rest and took a load off his feet, sitting down on the surprisingly lush grass that covered the clearing. He looked up at the sky from where he set, reclining back so that he was lying down. The sun had started to set, and the sky was gradually turning indigo; stars were beginning to peak out from their veil of darkness in the sky, letting him rest below on a comfortable patch of grass.

[Ethan]

Under the starry night sky, Ethan lay, unable to sleep. His mind thought back to what the day had given to him. His first taste of bloodshed, actually using magic, and his first experience on the road by himself; all things he didn’t expect with the exception of the latter. He tugged at the grass underneath him absent-mindedly as he continued to think. Where exactly was he heading, and why? True, the possibility to visit his parents was there, but he had no clue as to where to search. He figured that the letters, while addressed to his parents was merely given to a messenger who had handled the whole system of replies between him and his parents.

[Ethan]

His hand tensed around the grass, pulling at it tighter as he worried about his current situation. Had he been that folly in choosing to venture out of the safety and security of his Etrurian home? A tear ran down his cheek, which he tended to immediately by wiping it away with the hand that was once gripping the grass. The world seemed to slow as if waiting for him to breathe, waiting for that single breathe of life. His hand flopped from his face to the sapling, his index finger touching the startings of the plant. The plant started to glow, and the grass started to stir with a mysterious wind. Ethan sat up, his cloak rustling with the wind. There was a sudden outburst of magical energy, taking form as solid ether floating in the air at random intervals around the clearing. Ethan shielded his eyes as the ether pulsated once more, causing a blinding flash of light to come in and sweep away the grass and half of the surrounding trees.

[Ethan]

Ethan now stood in a much larger clearing, the ground underneath him was now an expanse of stone carvings; pieced together to form a terrace on which Ethan stood, confused and alert. The ether that was once airborne was now seeping deep into terrace, illuminating the grooves that sat between each individual piece. In the center of the terrace, the magical energy started to collect and manifest into a beast, a monster with strangely carved runes embedded all over its body. Ethan buckled under the sheer weight of the etherised atmosphere. He fell to one knee, reaching for his tome just as a precaution. The monster let loose a deafening roar before taking in the rest of the ether and taking form as a Minotaur, a gleaming axe in hand and completely fur covered with the exception of the hooves. The runes that ran along its flesh pulsated with an eerie glow, the weight of the air lessening allowing Ethan to stand properly.

[Ethan]

Ethan had his tome, and the Minotaur had its axe; both eyeing each other, watching for the first move to be made. The Minotaur snorted, and on sheer reflex Ethan fired off a fireball, spiralling in the air and colliding with the beast’s chest. The beast roared in pain and charged forward, swinging its axe downwards at Ethan. The mage dove to the side, double checking that he still had both of his arms and legs before aiming again. He flipped through the pages of the book, finding his place and firing off another fireball. It missed, setting alight some of the remaining shrubbery a ways off.

[Ethan]

The Minotaur withdrew its axe from the ground and snorted once more, glaring at the boy with cold, pulsating eyes that shone like diamonds in the moonlight. The fur on its shoulder was slightly singed from the fireball that just flew over its shoulder, and it was hungry for blood. Ethan recoiled from the fact he missed and tried again, this time hitting the beast in the side of the head. Ethan stepped back a few paces before bracing himself for the oncoming attack. The Minotaur struck again, this time the edge skimmed past Ethan’s face, drawing blood, but causing very little damage.

[Ethan]

Ethan winced in pain as the cold steel of the axe grazed his face, causing him to fall back and land on one knee in a kneeling position. The Minotaur reared up, swinging its axe high above its head, its muscles tensing as it put all its force into the one attack. Ethan looked up and feebly held up one hand, focusing with all his will to slay his foe; focusing his will to stay alive. He cast one final spell, which engulfed the Minotaur from head to toe and causing it to drop its axe whilst held behind it. Ethan scrambled away, panting as he wondered if that was it. From the looks of things, it was. The beast deteriorated into a black sludge that seeped into the ground.

[Ethan]

Everything was silent. Everything was still. Ethan sat there, looking around with heightened senses as the adrenaline in his body kept him wide awake. The ether around the place had turned into a fine, breathable miasma that polluted the place. Ethan’s wrist was starting to get irritated, so he scratched just like anyone would. However, on his hand was no rash or insect bit, no, it was a kiss of ether. A runic marking similar to that of the Minotaur’s but focused on Ethan’s wrist and right hand. Ethan fumbled around in his bag and pulled out his Vulnerary. He swigged half of what was left, leaving a third of the contents left in the vial. He sighed and fell back, exhausted, on the ground.