Aaron Winsett
Sage
Seeker of Knowledge
Knowledge is a weapon. I intend to be formidably armed.
Posts: 419
Sacae Fame: 1
Lycia Fame: 2
Profession: Student of Magic
OoC Alias: Feldsky
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Post by Aaron Winsett on Aug 29, 2012 19:38:45 GMT -6
From the far side of a small hill, a green haired head could be seen rising over the crest. Aaron Winsett came trudging up the hill, a blue cloak slung over his shoulders, and a very worn, brown messenger satchel slung over the cloak. He wasn't paying as much attention to his surroundings as what he saw in his memories. He'd left Lilith with his Grandfather, back at the arboretum. It had been harder to do than he thought it would be.... He'd returned to his Grandfather's mansion and rested a couple of days. And he hadn't been alone. A number of refugees from Laus had made temporary homes on the grounds, and the mages and refugees both were kept quite busy with their work. He'd explained the nature of how he and Lilith had fled from... where had it been? Worde? It didn't matter. The thoughtful old man had just looked at Aaron soberly and said there would always be room for him and his friends.... The young sage hadn't stayed long enough to really become absorbed into the happenings at the facility though. Instead he'd pressed on, going to Ostia to see if he could salvage anything from the once great city's ruins. He'd decided that it might take awhile before he even reached anywhere useful.... Hopefully, Lilith would be able to join him here, although, he wasn't sure he really wanted to put her through seeing these ruinous places.
He climbed to the top of the hill. Green grass and trees cut off as the hill began its downward slope again. Ahead, the ground seemed shriveled. Life struggled to grow here, although it hadn't given up quite yet. Further ahead, however, he could only see dead wood and dry grass. Ash clouds dulling the colors in the distance. It was a long walk before he reached the dead lands still, but it didn't look cheerful. Oddly enough, Aaron felt more pleased that he was nearing his destination, than he did bothered by the damage on the land. Clapping his hands together lightly and dusting them off briefly, he started down the other side of the hill, making for the darkening lands.
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Claire Labelle
Mercenary
It's my moral obligation to help those in need
Posts: 42
Affinity: Light
Profile: Claire
OoC Alias: Hal
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Post by Claire Labelle on Sept 2, 2012 11:34:32 GMT -6
Claire had finally made it to a town and found a healer, she had her stab wound properly tended to while explaining to the guards what happened and where to find the villainous fiends she ran into. Being completely lost she had used this time to figure out where on the map she was and the direction she'd need to go to reach Ostia. She had spent the rest of the day giving Ciel and herself a chance to rest before heading back on their journey, she had stocked up greater than she had did before, in case she ran into more people that needed help. Sitting in her room that she rented she cleaned the blade and oiled it before placing it in it's sheath and resting it against the wall near her bed. Now she had polished her armor, it had some blood and was dirty from the journey. The next thing she had done was groom Ciel, she had always enjoyed brushing a horses mane and it seemed as if Ciel like it too. Claire had began to smile thinking about when she would do this as a kid at her aunt's ranch.
She wasn't an expert on horse care but she had enough knowledge to keep Ciel in a healthy condition. The inn keeper said the remains of Ostia was five days walking, three and a half by horse so Claire had planed on leaving mid-day tomorrow. She ate a hardy meal, she didn't realize how hungry she was until she had began to eat her salad, she had quickly moved onto the steak and potato stew. Everything was just so delicious, much better than what she was used to at home, Claire had always thought Jimmy was a decent chief while other complained but now she knew why after tasting this. The bed was more pleasant to sleep in instead of the bedroll she had been using the past few days. Claire had spent at least 30 minutes brushing her hair before putting her breast plate on, after the armor was situated she had taken the cloth she tore from Christophe's favorite shirt and tied it into a bow in her hair. Checking the mirror and slightly adjusting it till it was perfect, then she took out her blush and lightly dusted her checks then but a light shade of lipstick over her lips, she had to leave the town looking pretty even if she wouldn't look like that if it was too hot outside. She slide her greaves on starting with the left foot, sliding her belt around the waist she clasped it leaving her sword hanging on the left side and finally her gauntlets were put on. Looking into the mirror she was satisfied with her appearance, now onward to breakfast and getting Ciel ready for their trip.
Scrambled eggs and bacon with a biscuit on the side, again much better than what Jimmy made. Setting the saddle on Ciel's back she patted him on the side. "You're such a great horse Ciel." Claire then threw her arms around his neck hugging him, without him she would have never made it this far. Securing her bags and her bedroll to the saddle she mounted up and left this lovely small town. As she exited the town gates she could see one of the guards grinning at her while giving her a thumbs up. The next two and days were uneventful, each morning she woke dreading how her hair had looked since she forgot to bring a hand mirror and to buy one while in town, She had arrived to the outskirts of the crater much sooner than she had expected, quite possible because Ciel was faster than they might have guessed, there was something off in the distance. She could see green and blue on top of the hill, Claire had commanded Ciel to run faster then the figure had began to descend out of view. It was quite possible he knew something that could lead her to Christophe. Ciel had carried her to the top of the hill before he was able to get too far.
"WAAAAAAAAAIT!" Clair had shouted to what looked like a male from behind. Hopefully he'd listen to her plea to slow down and would be helpful. Ciel had seemed to be scared to go down the hill, was it due to how barren the land was or did he have some sort of sixth sense? She saw a near by twig of a tree before the land turned blackish, tying Ciel to it she made an attempt to run after him down the hill without falling, ash seemed to cover her boots, ugh now she'd have to clean them later. Catching up to the man she wasted no time "Excuse me, by any chance are you from here or know what happened to any survivors if there were any."
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Aaron Winsett
Sage
Seeker of Knowledge
Knowledge is a weapon. I intend to be formidably armed.
Posts: 419
Sacae Fame: 1
Lycia Fame: 2
Profession: Student of Magic
OoC Alias: Feldsky
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Post by Aaron Winsett on Sept 2, 2012 20:13:28 GMT -6
"WAAAAAAAAAIT!"
Aaron stopped, hearing a sound on the wind. A young woman's voice, to be specific. It was about the last thing he'd expected in the ruined land of the onçe great city. People shouldn't be going there. They should be leaving... Not that he could say much on the matter. He was here, after all.
He turned around and waited for her, unsure of what to do exactly. For now, he limited himself to watching and waiting. She was young, he noticed, but that hardly seemed unusual to the traveling mage anymore. She was wearing some armor though. It stood out, even if it wasn't that odd anymore either. She had a ponytail tied back by a ribbon, her hair a shade which couldn't quite make up its mind between light and dark brown. She seemed conscious of her appearance, even on the road.
He listened to her as she an up to him, resting his hand lightly on the flap of his satchel as he turned to face her. He shook his head sadly though in response.
"I only know that many of the refugees fleeing from the lands around Ostia headed east. Some may have gone south as well.... I'm not from here." His head bobbed briefly as he spoke. He kept his voice down, even though he spoke with complete confidence. He looked the girl over one more time, wondering who or what a young maiden like herself might be looking for out here.
"My name is Aaron Winsett. I'm traveling into Ostia to see what there is to be seen. I expect I'm not far off in suspecting that you're here looking for something as well.... Would you like some help?"
What little guidance he had as to what he was doing here, left alot of room for interpretation. He would become more focused in time, no doubt, but for now, he might as well offer to assist. It'd earn him some company too. He had mixed feelings on that these days, but this company had no preconceptions as to what he was.
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Claire Labelle
Mercenary
It's my moral obligation to help those in need
Posts: 42
Affinity: Light
Profile: Claire
OoC Alias: Hal
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Post by Claire Labelle on Sept 6, 2012 16:32:05 GMT -6
He had said some went East and others South, she didn't really do any searching to find out anything before coming here. If she had done so she could have possibly found Christophe and would be on their way home by now but thinking upon the possibilities was a fruitless thing to do. He had offered Claire help, but was it such a good idea to prevent him from reaching his destination as well?
"If it wouldn't prevent you from reaching your goals I'd love the help. I'm searching for somebody dear to me... After Ostia was reduced to rubble my brother Christophe had came to aid those who needed it all the way to the point the land had became violent. Up to a couple of months ago I thought he had died then because I haven't heard from him then I had a strong feeling he made it out alive."
What happened next Claire couldn't stop, as much as she tried she couldn't fight back the tears. Just the mere thought of her beloved older brother being dead weakened the girl's emotions. She wiped the tears from her checks as she began to talk once again. "I'm... Sorry for that." She had stopped to sniffle a bit so snot didn't run down her face. "If you'd like I'll offer my services to help you or pay you for the help you provide me. My name is Claire Labelle, may I have your name kind sir?" She had gave him a quick curtsey as she gave him her name.
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Aaron Winsett
Sage
Seeker of Knowledge
Knowledge is a weapon. I intend to be formidably armed.
Posts: 419
Sacae Fame: 1
Lycia Fame: 2
Profession: Student of Magic
OoC Alias: Feldsky
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Post by Aaron Winsett on Sept 8, 2012 15:51:45 GMT -6
Aarons wasn't sure what to make of her tale. He hadn't been aware of people coming in to help Ostians who'd stayed behind. There hadn't been many, he imagined, but that just made the ones willing to do the work more valued. Christophe? He hadn't heard the name before.
His face took on a sympathetic expression as the girl began to cry. He wondered if her brother had escaped the roaring dangers of Ostia, or if he'd been caught with those who had refused to flee their homes.
"Well, Claire Labelle, don't let yourself be troubled.... You're doing a brave thing coming and looking for your brother." He tried to sound encouraging as he spoke. Here was need. The refugees back at his Grandfather's place were in trouble, but his girl was ready to chase her brother down through any perils that might come her way. Even if she had to do it alone.
"My name is Aaron Winsett. I'm a mage and I've been traveling around Lycia for a few years now. Right now, I'm on my way into Ostia to see what there is to see. Dangers, survivors, and passable routes are basically what I'm looking for." He frowned. He had no idea where Claire would even start looking.
"If you're heading this way as well, you're welcome to come along, but there are some people back in southern Laus area waiting for news from here. I have to finish here before I can actually leave.... Forgive me if I led you to believe otherwise... I'm not always as clear as I should be...."
"So you don't really have any leads to point you in the right direction? It's like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack...."
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Claire Labelle
Mercenary
It's my moral obligation to help those in need
Posts: 42
Affinity: Light
Profile: Claire
OoC Alias: Hal
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Post by Claire Labelle on Sept 13, 2012 17:11:44 GMT -6
Aaron has said he was a mage, she had heard about their powerful abilities that allowed them to control the elements such as the most destructive one like fire. Among the things he had listed was the possibility of survivors, in her dream Christophe didn't appear to be in the barren lands known as Ostia but she wasn't sure how close to the truth it was. She waited a few seconds in silence while pondering on what she would do. "Well, my brother always thought it was right to help those in need when he was able to, I've always honored the life style he has chosen and modeled mine after his. It's dangerous to travel in such lands like this alone and you did say the ones you know of are either East or South. The information you haven given me is of great help, if he is alive he should be safe there but there is just a slight problem with me helping you, my horse is tied up to a tree back there he refused to step into the ashy lands. Do you know if there's a place I can safely stable him and if we're going too far out?"
Claire didn't like the idea of leaving Ciel behind but she didn't want to leave Aaron to travel these lands alone, even if he could control the powerful flames that took her parents and possibly her brother. It was quite possible that Ciel's refusal to come out here could be a sign of troubles, she had heard stories about house pets detecting thunder storms and other natural stuff but if what Aaron's prediction of people being out here still they'll need the help even more if something happened.
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Aaron Winsett
Sage
Seeker of Knowledge
Knowledge is a weapon. I intend to be formidably armed.
Posts: 419
Sacae Fame: 1
Lycia Fame: 2
Profession: Student of Magic
OoC Alias: Feldsky
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Post by Aaron Winsett on Sept 20, 2012 9:39:47 GMT -6
"Well, if you're set on coming this way, I'm afraid I can't offer much guidance. This is my first trip to Ostia since the eruption. I'd planned on entering, and finding somewhere to build a shelter of some kind while I searched the areas around it. That, or finding some ruin left standing and using that." He wasn't sure that Claire got the idea that his task was going to take days or weeks to complete. It was good work, and if she wanted to help, he would appreciate the hand, but she seemed pretty concerned about her brother. He couldn't blame her. He'd want to look for his family too, if they'd been lost here.
Aaron looked back up the hill as Claire mentioned her horse not wanting to come down into Ostia. The beast probably had more sense than he did, but hiding out up there wasn't going to find safe trails, or anyone still out here.
"This could take awhile, and you can't very well just leave him up there.... I guess we could search for someplace safe near the border of the the ashlands, and we could make daily searches from there. That is, if you're sure you want to come along. I'd appreciate the hand, but I'd understand if you turned right around and rode off as well."
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Claire Labelle
Mercenary
It's my moral obligation to help those in need
Posts: 42
Affinity: Light
Profile: Claire
OoC Alias: Hal
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Post by Claire Labelle on Oct 8, 2012 13:38:51 GMT -6
"I have no definite lead to where my brother is located. You said there was a possibility of survivors here, for all I know he may be one of them. I'll began my search here by aiding you." Claire had looked back at Ciel for a few moments, she had placed her right hand upon her hip. "Only if I had packed something I didn't mind getting dirty, looks like I'm not going to wear my make up while I'm here. Hopefully Christophe isn't here, I want to look pretty when I find him."
Turning her head back to Aaron her pony-tail had seemed to bounce to the left then the right as she had began to speak once again "If you would like you can start to survey the surrounding area while I look for a safer spot to set up camp?"
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Aaron Winsett
Sage
Seeker of Knowledge
Knowledge is a weapon. I intend to be formidably armed.
Posts: 419
Sacae Fame: 1
Lycia Fame: 2
Profession: Student of Magic
OoC Alias: Feldsky
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Post by Aaron Winsett on Oct 10, 2012 19:30:05 GMT -6
Aaron felt a realization hit him. Like a resounding clang in his ears, it felt like he awoke from a waking dream he'd been living in for months. There were still good people who would help simply because it was the right thing to do. He wasn't alone in this world, on a simple little island traipsing across the oceans of the world and its places. He wasn't entirely sure what he'd been expecting, but it wasn't finding anyone charitable. The fact that he had thawed a section of thought which he hadn't realized had been frozen over. He smiled, and it grew into something genuine. Not just the face he wore to fool himself that everything was okay. Maybe things really would be okay.
"That's... a good idea. Watch your step. I haven't had the chance to look the area over very well yet. I'll be in the area near the bottom of the hill if you need something. Shouldn't take long though."
With a quick turn, Aaron started down the hill again. He wasn't as impassive this time though. His thoughts were occupied now. He scanned his mind for information from his last trip here which might help. He planned the preparations for some of the longer excursions into the area. He wondered about Claire, and what sort of a person she must be. All while treading down the path, small greyish-brown puffs forming from the dead ground under his boots. It was still disturbing to see what had happened to Ostia, but now he remembered what life was like.
Returning to the task at hand, he stopped and extended his mage senses. The last time he had tried that in Ostia, he had found residual magic collecting deep underground. He had been sure it had been from Etruria's massive use of spells against Ostia. Now, the sense was different. The air seemed to positively crackle with power, but it wasn't quite there. It was like an echo, yet the echo still held power. Now it felt like a mark had been left on the land. A boot print in the mud left in the wake of Ostia's destruction. He lifted a hand out in front of him, feeling what had happened here. Anima magic was strong. But there were other forces mixed into the region. Everything was too muddied, so there was no telling what had happened here besides alot of magic all coming together in a violent way.
"...And how long will Ostia wear these scars?" He mumbled to himself, under his breath. It would be impossible for him to say without further observation of the conditions here.
"At least there doesn't seem to be any immediate danger of an arcane sort nearby." That was something to be thankful for. He'd had an earthquake nearly kill him because of wild magic congealing in this region. That had been what he'd detected the last time he was here.
He stroked his chin in quiet thought for a moment before crossing his arms over his chest as he studied the land fanning out from him. He would have to find a way to mark the dangerous parts of the land, separating it from the rest.
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Claire Labelle
Mercenary
It's my moral obligation to help those in need
Posts: 42
Affinity: Light
Profile: Claire
OoC Alias: Hal
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Post by Claire Labelle on Oct 18, 2012 20:57:42 GMT -6
Claire had returned a smile to Aaron before turning around and walking towards Ciel, she could feel her foot sink into the ash with each step. The young woman was filled with mixed emotions, confusion of what happened here and why. Anger towards herself, if she came with Christophe she'd know where he was and the two would be fine. Guilt for not being there, and sorrow for those who lost everything. The people of Ostia were the strongest people she heard of, stories of their home being ravaged by man never broke their spirits and they rebuilt once again.
When she made it to the top of the hill she turned back, the entire area Aaron was going to be in was easily visible which was very good. She placed her right foot against the tree Ciel was tied to and gave it a slight push, it moved with no resistance. Thank goodness he didn't try to run away, Claire would be deeply hurt at the lose of her friend but this spot wouldn't do. Scanning the area she looked for something better to tie him to, she spotted something near a little pond but it was a little bit away from the transaction to the barren ashes and she most likely wouldn't be able to see Aaron from there.
She untied him and relocated to that location, testing the tree near the water she tied Ciel to it as he drank from the water. She thought it would be best to inform Aaron before setting up camp, she had jogged a little half way there then walked the rest. Claire didn't want to sound winded when she made it to him, this armor made out more difficult to move quickly ad keep her breath. "I found a nice little spot next to a pond a little bit over, the only downside is it's not in view from over here." Clair awaited his response, she wasn't exactly sure if they would be safe from wild life there or if he had another idea he may have thought of.
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Aaron Winsett
Sage
Seeker of Knowledge
Knowledge is a weapon. I intend to be formidably armed.
Posts: 419
Sacae Fame: 1
Lycia Fame: 2
Profession: Student of Magic
OoC Alias: Feldsky
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Post by Aaron Winsett on Oct 20, 2012 15:24:44 GMT -6
Aaron wasn't expecting the voice of the young woman behind him. He turned around and glanced at her quickly before turning back to the rest of the area.
"That's ok. There's nothing particularly special about this place except the road is here. I can't say I much care for the idea of staring at all this wilderness from camp anyways.... I guess we should go see it, eh?"
Aaron smiled lightly and started heading back the way Claire had come from. The truth was, he was completely outmatched. Only now that he saw the desolation did he realize how badly.
"I didn't think it would be bad like this when I came here. I knew it would be bad, but I'm not sure we'll find much of use to build a campsite with further in.... I don't have alot of gear, but you're welcome to share what I have." He unrolled a second cloak from his travel bag as he walked, realizing he was a bit unsure where they needed to go from here. He hung back, and let Claire take the lead on realizing that.
"I've got some food and a spare cloak. Most of what we'll need should be here in a few days though. My Grandfather is sending a wagon with some supplies from southern Laus." The sage paused for a minute, running a hand through his hair. "How about you? Have everything you need?"
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Claire Labelle
Mercenary
It's my moral obligation to help those in need
Posts: 42
Affinity: Light
Profile: Claire
OoC Alias: Hal
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Post by Claire Labelle on Oct 22, 2012 8:58:56 GMT -6
Claire had took Aaron's speed reduction as a sign to lead the way. "I... I wasn't even sure what to expect. All I heard was it had burned to the ground and the land was charred, it's heartbreaking to see the land in such a state." As the top made it to the top of the hill she turned back to give Aaron a smile. "Thank you for the genorious offer," Claire had turned her head back to watch where she was going, now her head bobbled as she spoke "but I have a bedroll and a small tent with about a week's worth of food. I wasn't sure if I was going to run into hungry travelers again." The two had quickly made it to the site she picked out as their camp.
She spun on her left heel and placing her right foot on the ground once she was facing Aaron and pointed both her arms in Ciel's direction. "And this is my horse Ciel. Ciel this is Aaron." There was a shooting pain in the girl's abdomen suddenly, her lower back and sides had began to cause her pain. She had winced for a second. "Oh god, why did it have to start now?!"" She was able to push out a half smile "So, the people bringing you more supplies later on, are they going to be aiding us?" Claire so wanted to reach in her bag and start to munch on a little bit of everything.
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Aaron Winsett
Sage
Seeker of Knowledge
Knowledge is a weapon. I intend to be formidably armed.
Posts: 419
Sacae Fame: 1
Lycia Fame: 2
Profession: Student of Magic
OoC Alias: Feldsky
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Post by Aaron Winsett on Oct 29, 2012 20:04:11 GMT -6
Aaron smiled at the girl's formal response. He hadn't thought it so generous to share. Not with the help she was going to be. He let the matter drop though as they came up on the spot she'd selected. There was something noticeably different about it than the rest of the places he'd been inspecting: Life. It wasn't barren or smothered. It looked a little rough around the edges, but it wasn't twisted and destroyed. This was only the edge of the province, but he hoped there might be some places inside Ostia which had survived in a similar condition.
"Well, it's good to hear that we won't have to worry about starving at least." Aaron gave a small sigh as they arrived at the campsite to be. He took in the pond, alongside the small tree beside it. The horse tied to the tree didn't escape his notice either. So this was Ciel. He approached slowly from the side of the horse, and extended a hand out close enough for Ciel to get a whiff if he wanted.
"Nice to meet you Ciel." The sage paused. He didn't often speak to animals. He found they didn't speak back very well. "You're... coat looks nice and shiny today." He stumbled over his words, feeling a bit clumsy as he did so, and looking back to Claire for coaching. ...Had that been a flinch of pain he'd seen? He'd only seen it fora flash, so it was hard to tell one way or another.
"Um... Well, I don't think so. Not on this first batch, but I can send back for some help. I'm sure there's a few eager students who would jump at the opportunity to come and see what's going on out here. I'll have to make sure the area is safe enough before I can make that call, but it's conceivable we could get some volunteers to help...." The green haired man dropped his bag from his shoulder to the ground next to him, before giving the younger brunette the once over.
"Speaking of safe, are you ok?" He felt a little bit uncomfortable prying, but he wanted to at least address the possibility.... Wow..., I really need to work on my manners.
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Claire Labelle
Mercenary
It's my moral obligation to help those in need
Posts: 42
Affinity: Light
Profile: Claire
OoC Alias: Hal
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Post by Claire Labelle on Nov 1, 2012 17:17:36 GMT -6
Aaron had noticed her reaction to the sudden jabbing pain in her abdomen, she would like to tell him but would be too embarrassed to say it because they just met. "I'm okay... Thank you for asking. So, um... When should we actually start doing some searching? I'd like to try to get Ciel used to going into Ostia so I don't have to worry about him being hurt while he's alone." Claire didn't want to say it but she wanted to get a quick snack before they set out. She was craving some cheese right about now, she didn't want to start to munch away in front of Aaron in fear of him thinking she was a fatty.
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Aaron Winsett
Sage
Seeker of Knowledge
Knowledge is a weapon. I intend to be formidably armed.
Posts: 419
Sacae Fame: 1
Lycia Fame: 2
Profession: Student of Magic
OoC Alias: Feldsky
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Post by Aaron Winsett on Nov 3, 2012 8:30:26 GMT -6
Aaron nodded his head slowly at the girl's reassurance before turning aside. He would pay it no more mind. As she continued speaking, he dropped his travel bags to the ground and started sorting. His spare cloak, Some trqvel rations, and a couple of mostly empty books wrapped in oilskin came out, accompanied by some shaped charcoal. He was narrowing down necesssities to take with him as he listened, The rope was staying in, as well as a couple of days of food, and the waterskin. She was talking about working with her horse or something. Yes? And she wanted to know when they should start searching.
Aaron thought for a moment. It sounded like Ciel would be a liability in Ostia for now, since it sounded like he didn't like entering the ash filled ruins. In that case, it would be better for her to stay back until she convinced her animal to be safe. Unless she left him at camp, which she didn't want to do.
"Well,... Yeah. You start working with Ciel then. In the mean time, I'm going to head that way." The sage pointed into Ostia, directly towards where the main city would be, if it was in view. He seemed to pick up more strength and direction as he spoke. "I don't know what kind of shape the place is in, but there's bound to be some homes along the road."
He checked his supplies once more, and slung them over his shoulder before heading out.
"I'll be back in a few hours."
Aaron followed the road they'd been on before, heading deeper into Ostia. There wasn't alot to see. Grasses still clung to life, and he noticed an occasional greyish tree still fighting on. He was surprised by it's presence. From further away everything looked dead. Ostia's plant life would return, or so it would seem.
He'd walked a good distance by now. The campsite itself wasn't visible, though he still knew where it was when he looked back. Ahead, he could see rubble. It looked like a caved in house that he was approaching. As he neared he shouted in, looking for anyone who would answer.
"Hello! Is anyone in there? ...I'm here to help! ....Hello?" ....
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