Balthier
The "Before" years
[M:0]
Everything you think you are that puts you above others is a lie.
Posts: 68
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Post by Balthier on Aug 3, 2010 14:27:52 GMT -6
Balthier slowly, and then silently, left the company that had saved his life. In regards to them, he vowed that he would eventually return the favor.
However, now it was time to fulfill his own duties. That encased many things, but his primary goal was to cross into Ilia and then take the mountain pass into Sacae. There, said his informant, his brother had joined a company of soldiers and an old friend leading a scouting team. Balthier simply hoped to make it there before their departure from Sacae.
His plan was to stay in an Ilian village for a night, and then begin his trip. However, he was leaving Caelin, and it was a trip long and loathsome.
He rented - or stole, to be technical - a horse and galloped away as quickly as the horse would take him. With such provisions, he would make the trip to Ilia much faster than intended. He was out of money, so doing anything that required a pay was almost out of the question. Balthier would consider himself lucky to make the trip in good health.
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Balthier
The "Before" years
[M:0]
Everything you think you are that puts you above others is a lie.
Posts: 68
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Post by Balthier on Aug 3, 2010 18:55:19 GMT -6
----
The trip had been very, very long. It was hard on Balthier, and he was tired with both sleep and physical fatigue.
However, it was his luck that he made it to the home village of his brother. He stepped into an inn and nodded to the keeper, and then simply walked upstairs. He opened a door and lit the candle by snapping his fingers; a trick he picked on here and there from an odds-and-ends magician.
He flopped down on the bed a sighed. It had been two long and perilous days since he'd left Cebrail's company, and strangely, he missed those days, although they were not that far apart from his current state.
He sighed again, looking to the ceiling. He didn't even know if he'd be safe on tomorrow's trip. Hopefully, he thought, everything would go smoothly.
His ears perked up as he had just remembered he brought a journal with him. He felt awkward doing so, as he generally disliked most people, but he felt as if he should write to Cebrail's company wherever they may be.
He took a quill, ink, and paper, and began to write.
To whom it may concern:
Cebrail, this is Balthier. This letter has no return address, as my presence is to be hidden across the vast messenger chain. I'm writing to tell you a few things, friend. One, I have safely made it to Ilia. The journey was hard but manageable, and I am weak from lack of sleep and fatigue.
I would like to thank you again for the rescue, and again, apologize for such unfortunate conditions. I had no idea the state of wavering affairs in Santaruz, and myself, I'd rather stay away from there from now on.
I would also like to inform you that I have vast communication across Elibe. That being said, I will return the favor to you and company very soon. You saved my life, and it is now in your debt. You and the others... I will repay you in some way. Money is not enough, my friend. I shall tend to more.
Also, in closing: I hope that you and the others are safe. I wish you well, and may St. Elimine be with you.
Your friend,
Balthier
He put the paper aside, and set the pen back in the jar. He groaned to himself and rolled over in his bed. He unchained his cape and set it over the bedpost, and stripped himself of his outer layer of clothing before laying down and eventually falling asleep.
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Balthier
The "Before" years
[M:0]
Everything you think you are that puts you above others is a lie.
Posts: 68
|
Post by Balthier on Aug 3, 2010 19:18:29 GMT -6
Morning had come quickly enough, and Balthier welcomed it with an open eye. He rolled over, ruffling his pink hair that was in a sleepy mess, and sat up. He shook his head, attempting to wake himself, and set his feet on the cold floor.
He threw open wide the window, and put the candle out. He dressed, and re-chained his cape, flipping it and brushing himself off. He should bathe, he thought, but there was little point seeing as his long journey was today.
He stared out the window and questioned himself and his ability to actually make it. He realized the reality of it; that there was little chance he would even catch up to them. He would have to hope he could make it before they set out once more... if they were even there.
He fixed his hair in the small mirrored image he had in the window, and walked out the door, taking the letter with him.
As he had requested (OoC: not really..), there was a messenger waiting by the door. Balthier nodded to him, and discreetly slipped him the letter. "This goes straight to Cebrail and Reylan, knights of the old Ostia. You will take it directly there, you will not open it. I have no money, but a tome instead. Now, go."
The messenger nodded, a bit scared, and ran out. Balthier hated being so aggressive, but had he not been, he would've had to pay... and he had paid all of his money to Bridget.
He nodded to the innkeeper, and stepped out himself. The day was cloudy and dark, and Balthier hoped for rain. He enjoyed rain much more than he did sun and warmth, and rain would please him now. Especially since he would be going to Sacae, which was hot enough already.
Before his departure, he stepped into a general shop. He peered the shelves, getting small necessary food and things for his journey, provided he would need it.
He finished there quickly, and walked out of Ilia's gates towards Sacae. He noted the long path, and the mountains in the far distance. "I certainly hope this is where they began their journey..." Balthier said aloud to himself.
With that, he started to walk the road to the mountain pass.
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Balthier
The "Before" years
[M:0]
Everything you think you are that puts you above others is a lie.
Posts: 68
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Post by Balthier on Aug 4, 2010 14:14:36 GMT -6
Balthier had walked a ways, a long way, when he finally reached the entrance to the mountain pass. What he saw horrified him to no descriptive extent.
There were dead bodies everywhere. Clearly, he noted, both those of mere bandits and common Ilian soldiers. Something had taken place here; Balthier assumed something very dangerous. Thankfully, he hadn't seen the body of a green-cloaked thief, so he relaxed a bit. However, he was still awed at all these bodies that apparently no one else had done anything about.
He said his prayers, blessing the souls of those long past. He noticed that these bodies had been decaying here for almost 2 days; the time he arrived in Ilia. It both shocked and scared him.
Nonetheless, he stole a vulnerary and continued on. Through the mountains it became colder, and Balthier hadn't thought about how to guard against such cold temperature. I'll have to endure it until Sacae... he thought.
Although, Balthier thought the mountains capped with snow very beautiful. He enjoyed his time, be it in the cold, taking this long and battle-scarred path. It gave him much needed time to think about things.
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Balthier
The "Before" years
[M:0]
Everything you think you are that puts you above others is a lie.
Posts: 68
|
Post by Balthier on Aug 5, 2010 14:04:23 GMT -6
Night fell, and it had come much more quickly than Balthier had expected. He loved the night, as opposed to day. When he was honest with himself, he even thought himself an oddball when it came to weather. He enjoyed rain over sun, and night over day.
Irregardless of the thoughts that filled his ever-wandering head, he continued through the mountain pass. He saw the end of it, very near, but he couldn't see much past it.
The night sky was beautiful, and so was the chilly wind that was turning warm towards the end of the pass. He shivered, and rubbed his arms that were full of goosebumps from the cold. Very slowly, the air started to warm up.
--
Balthier exited the mountain pass abruptly; it seemed as though the mountains had simply decided to stop themselves from advancing. Strange, he thought, that such big behemoths such as mountains were not alive like the trees.
The air was warmer now, and the sky full of every star. Balthier felt relief as he saw a camp in the distance. A far walk, yes, but nonetheless he saw a camp worth traveling to. Would it be his kin and company? That's what he hoped, anyways. He trudged on, whistling to himself in the night.
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Balthier
The "Before" years
[M:0]
Everything you think you are that puts you above others is a lie.
Posts: 68
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Post by Balthier on Aug 5, 2010 15:40:09 GMT -6
Before long, he stood quietly in front of tents and a put-out campfire. Clearly this was a current camp; everything was recently used. He looked around, but saw nothing, and continued to examine everything around the camp. He walked very quietly, as he still had no assurance of this camp being the one he was looking for.
He sighed to himself, put out with his efforts. He sat down on a log and watched the night sky for a bit, but then he heard something.
Balthier's ears tuned in to the quiet talking in the night, and the clear clashing of metal. Obviously, there was a fight going on. For what purpose he did not know, but he stood up and followed his ears.
Balthier kept a distance. A good distance, he thought, and out of sight. There were two figures, one with a lance, swiping away, clearly winning, and...
..There was a smaller, oddly shaped blade. The style of fighting, the way it was handled, clearly the figure with the cloak in the dark was...
Balthier hesitated. "Gabbiano?"
[end of thread, moved to All Legends Start Somewhere]
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