[center][b]Dawn at Mount Auron.[/b][/center] [center][b]I[/b][/center] [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aWsDC5iHxU]The early light of day danced across his skin[/url], leaving a faint tickle wherever they went. The scent of morning, and the feeling of morning dew clinging stubbornly to his leaves. The peculiar not-too-chilly breeze that always graced them early in the day, carrying the scent of all the spring flowers and the waking cries of birds, insects and mammals alike. Entranced, the autumnal Sylphi stared at the lonely sapling, the lonely pod in the middle of the clearing. Some melting snow was on top of it and a single squirrel was chewing at the lips of the watermelon-sized pod, trying to get at whatever was inside. The autumnal Sylphi took in a long breath, feeling a pang of oh-so-familiar pain at his heart. A pain that only he knew. To him, what he did was the only real choice available. Anyone who knew what he had known all throughout his life would have done the same with pride in their hearts. So when he started to drag his feet and moved towards the lonely pod, and when the worn down wooden practice sword he held slipped from his grasp and fell down onto the snowy grass, he did so without hesitation. For he knew exactly whose child was inside that pod, and he knew that they would not come back to witness the child’s awakening. His throat made a shameful noise as his eyes watered. He grunted and sniffled his tears back, finally coming to a stop right in front of the pod and extending a shaky hand to brush the snow off it and caress the tough shell. Pods were resilient things, but this one had been alone, unattended and forgotten for so long that it had started to wither before anyone could even come to awaken it. It even resembled the autumnal Sylph’s red colors, even though it had the shape of a pod meant to awaken during summer. After a while, the autumnal Sylph rested his calloused hands, immobile, right at the commissures of the tightly sealed lips on the pod, going from top to bottom… And in a quiet, almost inaudible volume, whispered. “Wake up, little root… My little brother.” And so the pod stirred, and something inside kicked and came to life, and eventually the tightly sealed lips hissed and came apart. A thick steam came out from inside, and thick liquid spilled out, onto the snowy ground and onto the autumnal Sylph’s chest as he rushed to catch the weak form of a newborn Sylph before it fell to the ground. It was a boy, and the boy was a deep brown in color. He looked sickly and near death, and despite that the boy looked up at the autumnal Sylph with a shine in his half-lidded eyes like he had never seen before… Such adoration, and such love. It stirred the young autumnal Sylph’s heart, and through teary eyes he beamed down at his new brother, carefully running his hands through his brother’s wet leaves and kissing his forehead. “Good morning, Yper. How was your Dream?” [center][b]II[/b][/center] [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wAVmbsg9e8&list=PLPQWP5qT39uATrX8WCGGaA8zAfQROm7JH&index=9]The world was an ugly place.[/url] And yet, it was the only place they had… Death lay waiting around every corner, lurking in the shadows of the unknown and waiting for a fool to walk by in order to take them and drag them into the darkness. The Sun, while beautiful and life-giving, could also cause fires and burn skin. It was unfeeling, much like the clouds, and the dirt and the stones. The Great Tree, too. And yet… It was all so beautiful. Even though they could die at any moment, even though everything they loved hung by a single thread over the abyss that was the unknown… It was a beautiful world. There was nothing Lych wanted more than to protect the beauty of the world, to drive back what would threaten those he loved and cherished, and to feel like he was a positive influence in such an unfeeling world. He had always believed that there had to be a reason to why they were created, a reason behind the chaos of the world, and from a very young age he had realized that in order to fulfill his true purpose, he would become an Explorer like his parents had been. He had no close support growing up, having been left behind as a seedling in Auron’s Plot almost two decades ago by his parents, two famous Explorers who had to plant him in the settlement’s communal garden in order to keep him safe while they went on their final expedition to the far north. To everyone’s dismay, the two Explorers never came back and when the time came for Lych’s awakening, years had already passed. And so Lych grew up parentless, being cared for by a different person almost every other week. The stories he was told of his parents always brought him respite, however. Hearing about the lives of Lis and Osmon, about the things they achieved and the people they helped, it made him feel like one day he could be as amazing as them. He had to have inherited something from them after all, right? It was never that simple, however. Just because your parents were great doesn’t mean you were destined to be so as well. He lacked a Trait and he was deemed so incompetent at Mana that any kind of training would be wasted on him… According to the elders at Auron’s Plot, at least. But he knew, deep down, that he could become the best Explorer if they just gave him the chance. He knew! But if they wouldn’t help him, there was not much he could do. Since the age of 10 he had taken to practicing on his own and with the goblins, having made friends with them after gathering materials for them a number of times--They even made a wooden sword for him. Obviously practicing in the combat style of goblins, who were much smaller and more agile than he was wasn’t easy. They relied on acrobatics and using the environment to their advantage. But, as much as he learned with them he eventually got too tall and too slow to keep up with them in their same style, which led to Lych training on his own for years. Over and over again he would spend entire days striking at a particularly large tree a few minutes’ walk south of Auron’s Plot. Hoping that, one day, he could show what he was capable of to an Explorer, and they’d agree to being his mentor. Not because he wanted to… but because he HAD to. If not that, if not an Explorer, what else was he meant to do in his life? Was he destined to be a simple helper in a frontier outpost? Was he destined to help load the Magnus Pods of real Explorers with supplies for the rest of his life? To never find out what happened to his parents? To never be important enough to be remembered…? It was one dawn in early spring that Lych grew tired of striking at the same tree and walked further away from the settlement in the hope of finding something more interesting to train with. He was growing older, now in his late teens, and he felt his time slipping through his fingers. He only had four and a half decades left… That was the day he found the one thing he would cherish the most. In a clearing, he found the lonely, almost withered pod containing the boy he’d adopt as his little brother. Another boy, abandoned to the whims of the world by an Explorer couple who would be swallowed by the Northern Unknown. Lych knew he had to adopt the boy, to make him feel loved, to give him the blessing of a family--So he wouldn’t live a life quite like his. So he would never feel the hands of fate slowly tightening around his throat… So he would be free to chase whatever dream he would grow to have. That was how Lych and Yper became brothers for life, despite not sharing the same parents. And that was how Lych eventually found someone to care for, someone to lay down his wooden sword for. Since the day he met Yper, he would work twice as hard in order to ensure Auron’s Plot could be the best settlement possible, to nurture Yper’s future. [center][b]III[/b][/center] One night he had been on his way back home, walking through the woods surrounding Auron’s Plot, down a barely-there dirt path… [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRRHFdo_Kbs]And yet, something felt off[/url]. The tiny leaves on the back of Lych’s neck prickled up, and he felt the tendons in his hands contracting at random intervals. ‘What’s happening?’ He thought, ‘Why… What am I sensing?’ It had been an unusual day at Auron’s Plot, that day. Never before had Lych seen such a large group of Explorers pass through the settlement in one day… Apparently, something big was going on at the mouth of Buddlei Pass. Big enough to require several groups of explorers, all armed to the teeth and with somber faces on exhibition. Something big… Buddlei Pass… As he walked, Lych could feel the tension in the air grow thicker. He could almost taste it and touch it. And while deep in his thoughts, he failed to notice the silence… Silence like he had never heard before, a silence that he was breaking with every step and every crunch of autumnal leaves beneath his bare feet. Racking his brain for information, he started to remember bits and pieces of things he had overheard throughout his life. Buddlei Pass was the only relatively safe land passage through the Anchor’s range, which made it popular with those few Explorers who didn’t have Pods, as well as daring merchants who spent their lives trading with the people of the North. Something big, happening at Buddlei Pass… Could very well be an event that blocks passage, and considering how well armed and powerful the Servants that had passed by Auron’s Mount today had seemed, it wasn’t a simple landslide or avalanche at the higher altitudes. But what problem could possibly necessitate so many high tiered Explorers? Why were they wearing such grim expressions? At last, Lych came to a stop, sighing as he looked down at his hands, cramping up and relaxing several times every minute, involuntarily. He took in a deep breath, closing his eyes and let his mind wander back to that which always gave him strength, Yper’s bright future. His second chance… As he opened his eyes again, he noticed something. He remembered a detail that he had grown so used to over the years that it slipped his mind when it was missing. The particular area of the Eternal Forest around Auron’s Plot, which was located on a small hill southwest of the World Anchor, was home to a flower which only showed its beauty at night. Throughout the day it would be tightly closed into a green bud, hidden amongst the grass leaves and within bushes and under rocks but at night it would bloom... And it would emit an otherworldly blue glow and spread its equally glowing pollen all over the area. It was a truly beautiful event that took place every night of the year. Some people believed the pollen to actually be spirits of the forest, or even the souls of those who had passed but still desired to watch over their loved ones. Tonight, those beautiful flowers, the Celestial Fortunes, were hidden away. Lych felt his heart skip a beat. He looked around, letting his eyes scan over everything around him… Several trees, grass, bushes, more mundane flowers, a large boulder- A large boulder? There were no large boulders in the path to his forest shack. Had he gotten lost while in thought? No, that was impossible. He knew the path and the surrounding area like the palm of his hand, and yet… He tentatively took a few steps closer to the boulder, noticing the moss and mud on top of it, the soil stuck in odd places and the rather… Exotic, patterns across its surface. It certainly didn’t look like the surface of any rock he’d ever seen before. The colourful clouds obstructing the night sky suddenly parted and gave way to the full moon… And for a split second, before the clouds covered the light again, Lych saw the moonlight reflect off of two beady things hidden in the shadows of the boulder. He felt his breath escape his body. He lost strength in his legs and fell backwards as he took a step back and stumbled on a root. “Oof!” He grunted, then went back to staring at the ‘boulder’. Only… It was no boulder, and the beady things that had caught the moonlight, were [i]eyes[/i]. “W… W-Wh…” No words came out. Instead, the boulder began to creak and pop. Dirt exploded from it in small clouds and the moss and grass on its back shook and dropped insects of all kinds everywhere. Then, it stood up, shaking the earth. Lych couldn’t breath. He stared at the thing, tears welling up in his bright straw-colored eyes. At the sight of the thing, a bit of information popped into his head. [i]’Remember those stories about Trolls I promised you, lil tree? It sucks, but I really don’t have time to tell them… I know, sorry! But I will give you this advice instead...’[/i] Lych began to crawl away as fast as he could until his back hit against a tree trunk. His hand fell right on top of a hidden Celestial Fortune, and his petrified stare quickly fell onto the crushed flower. [i]’... If you ever notice the Celestial Fortunes that bloom at night are suddenly gone, then it means that they sensed a thirst for blood. It could be a wolf with rabies… Or it could be something much, much worse, like...’[/i] “... A… A Troll!” Lych muttered breathlessly. The thing was easily six times his height, and in its massive misshapen hand it held an [i]actual[/i] boulder, as if it was just a pebble. Lych snapped to attention once the troll stretched its arm towards him. By instinct he rolled to the side and stood, then began running. He panted, feeling like his chest was about to burst. He had nothing to defend himself with… This was the one day he had decided to take a break off of training, so his practice sword was at home! Not that the wooden thing would do anything to the troll, but… The earth shook again, and again. The thing was FOLLOWING him! Every time the shaking got more intense, nearer… Or maybe that was just in his head, as soon the earth shook no more. He slowed to a stop and turned around, only to see those two black eyes staring at him from above the canopies of the trees, swinging its arm to throw the boulder it had been holding at him. It was a split second, but he saw his entire life flash before his eyes the moment he saw the massive boulder take flight directly at him. No… [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LT4gJHLd4_Y&list=LLI0M7wIbdM9eGReD9Fc58pg&index=121]He was going to survive this, and he would make sure Yper was safe.[/url] With unnatural speed, Lych jumped out of the way, falling into a roll as the ground where he had just been standing exploded into dirt and shards of stone. Several of the shards found their way into Lych’s side. Still, he survived and would have to thank the goblins for teaching him their tricks. And just like that, the massive monster started to slowly chase after Lych. One predatory step after another, completely disjointed from reality. This time the troll grabbed a tree and ripped it out of the soil. Lych knew what it meant to do with it, so he just turned and began running again. Even though Sylphi didn’t see well in the darkness, he managed to make do with his own bioluminescence which grew brighter with every passing second. Jumping over obstacles and swiftly dodging low hanging branches, Lych eventually broke out into the clearing where his shack was. In the middle was his small home, with his small little brother grinning and waving at him while sitting on the porch. At that moment, a deep grunt echoed through the forest and the air almost lit on fire as the troll threw a tree at the shack. “GET DOWN, YPER!” Lych screamed at the top of his lungs. The tree crashed into the front of the shack, demolishing the structure. Lych did not stop running and came up to Yper, who was now in shock with a large splinter stuck into his right arm. Lych grabbed him and turned around, seeing the troll come into the clearing as well. “That thing doesn’t give up-” Just then, the troll charged at them. Lych almost choked on his words and Yper screamed. In a flash of movement, Lych ran towards the Troll and dodged its grasping hands and slipped past between its legs, leaving the massive monster to crash into the heap of debris that was Lych’s shack. Lych didn’t look back, instead running as fast as he could towards Auron’s Plot with his little brother in his arms. A great, terrifying roar almost seemed to scare away the clouds. Eventually, Lych had been running for so long that he didn’t hear the troll anymore, and in front of him was Auron’s Plot, as well as its beautiful protective palisade. As soon as he came through the gates, Lych set down his brother, who was bleeding profusely from the wound in his arm, and collapsed, his own wounds finally taking their toll. It caused quite the stir, and the two Guardians of Auron’s Plot immediately came to their aid, but even they panicked slightly when Yper calmed down enough to tell them of the ‘weaaal big scawy monster’ that attacked them. That night, several Explorers found their reveries disturbed by a pair of panicked Guardians and a hasty search for the ‘monster’ was conducted. Of course, they found the debris left behind by the encounter but no monster whatsoever. That night, the first steps towards the Doom of Auron’s Plot and its inhabitants were taken. [hider=Summary] This post follows the story of Lych, an orphaned Sylph who wants nothing more than to become an Explorer like his parents, yet is unlucky enough to be born without a Trait and as such Explorers don’t take him seriously enough to give him a proper (bronze) weapon. One day he finds an abandoned Sylph Pod in a clearing far from Auron’s Plot (the settlement Lych lives near to) which he stimulates enough to have it spit out the child kept inside. He adopts this child, orphaned as well, as his little brother and names him Yper. Realizing he only had 4 decades and a half left of life in him, Lych essentially passes his dream of living a fulfilling life onto Yper, and words hard to make sure Yper’s life is not as bleak as his. Years later, Lych is on his way back home in the forest near Auron’s Plot when he stumbles almost literally upon a Dovegrubbe Troll. The Troll chases him all the way to his forest shack, throws a tree at the shack and destroys it, injuring Lych’s brother Yper in the process. Lych manages to grab his brother and escape in the nick of time, however. Upon reaching Auron’s Plot, he collapses. Yper tells the Guardians at the settlement about a big monster, and several of the Explorers temporarily staying at Auron’s Plot stage a hasty search for the monster, but only find the debris left from Lych’s encounter with it. P.S. Auron’s Plot is a small frontier settlement southwest of the World Anchor used by the Arborean Culture mostly as a last safe stop for Explorers before heading up North into the Highlands through the Buddlei Pass. Many Explorer couples that pass through Auron’s Plot tend to plant their seedlings (seeds from which a Sylphi Pod that goes on to create an actual Sylphi child sprout) near or in the town, preferring to leave their seeds there for safekeeping while they go off on adventures up north. [/hider] [hider=Might Summary] Tree of Genesis 5Mp 5Dp Nothin spent 5Mp 5Dp remaining [/hider]