[center][h1]The Rebirth: Journey for Atonement I[/h1][/center] [center][b]I[/b][/center] It was the dawn of the 20th Day of Ashes and Tears, the quietest day of the year on Astalon. It had also come to be known as the [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czQr63h8WIU]day of pilgrimages[/url], which is what Lionel was packing for. He wasn’t a particularly big fan of the sad and gloomy atmosphere that always befell Vie around this time of year, so ever since a few years ago he’d take a couple weeks off work and make a pilgrimage to his lineage’s actual home, a fishing hamlet to the southeast of Vie that always pointed in the direction of the great lands to the east no matter how much Astalon herself danced. The journey started at dawn and saw him braving the endless snowstorms and earthquakes of the region with only a heating-core lined cloak and a bottle of (very expensive) schnapps for whenever the cold got too much. It was difficult. Difficult, but possible. As usual after an uneventful three day journey (thanks to his route planning skills, which saw him give a wide berth to any area of conflict), he arrived. Lorelei was as small as he remembered, but the people in it greeted him with hugs and cheers. It was home. It also helped that it wasn’t as cold or nearly as snowy down in Lorelei. The first night he spent in a warm barn courtesy of his aunt’s husband. He slept amongst horses, but he didn’t dislike it. He took the entire first day to rest and by the second day he had started to help out by fishing in the creeks and rivers all over Lorelei. He spoke to lots of people and got to meet some of the people who had arrived at Lorelei over the last year. They were mostly survivors of the Day of Ashes. Every year a handful of them showed up after receiving news of the Rebirth of Astalon from passing Primes, riding the waves on their magnificent yet mostly broken down boats of the past. Even now he could see the non-functional wrecks of at least five of the beasts, just marooned on the beach. He wondered what it was like, the world beyond the shores of Astalon. Despite having seen the survivors’ scars and listened to their frightening stories, he couldn’t help but be drawn to the world beyond. [center][b]II[/b][/center] It was one day at sunset, while he was sitting at the top of the beachhead looking at the fading Godlight all the way beyond the horizon, that he was approached by Dandelion for the first time. “Y’look sad, y’know.” She said, her voice husky. It was a pleasant sound, and Lionel thought it went well along with the waves. He leaned back against the rocks, and looked back at her with a half-smile. “Everyone ought to be sad around this time of the year.” He replied. “Day of Ashes and Tears, right?” She asked, having gracefully found her way atop the massive boulder he was leaning up against. She looked down at him from the top, eyes gleaming like two spotlights. She flicked her ears. “Yep. Not that I care much for the sadness… We got enough of that with all these ruins.” She hummed in response and tilted her head. “I’m Dandelion. You?” “Lionel.” She chuckled, “We both got ‘lion’ in our names.” He chuckled too. “Say Lionel, are you from around here?” He shrugged. “My ancestors were all born here in Lorelei. I was born here too, but my dad took me into the Vault soon after.” “Huh…” Dandelion pursed her lips and after a moment, jumped down and landed next to him. “I was born here, too. Bit later than you though, so my parents took the last boat outta here and we ended up living next to elves to the east.” “Elves? You mean-” “Yep! Aliens! They do exist, and they’re pretty dangerous! Not used to our kind of pointy ears, y’know.” She said with a chuckle, flicking her ears again. Lionel pet her head, making her tense up. “Huh, you catch on quick don’t ya?” “Heh. You’d be better off looking for someone else to date if that’s what you’re after.” She blushed and shook her head, stepping back. “I-I wasn’t here just for [i]that[/i]! I just, uh, I saw you working the other day and your markings looked really familiar. Y’know there’s a girl named Lorelei living in the Valley? I know, weird name, but get this – She’s got the same markings as you!” Lionel froze, his heart skipping a beat. “You mean-” “Yep! Hundred percent sure that she’s your family. She’s also around the same age, maybe younger. You sure you don’t have a litter sister?” “I-I-” Lionel coughed and looked at Dandelion with wide eyes. She was smirking smugly, her previous blush still faintly visible on her face. He felt tears well up in his eyes and he hugged her, eliciting a small surprised squeak from the young woman. “Thank you. According to my dad, both my litter siblings died before the day of Ashes, but… If one of them is alive, then I can go rescue her! Thank you so much, Dandelion!” He repeated, hugging her even tighter. “H-Hey! Too tight!” She grunted and he immediately loosened his hug, smiling sheepishly even as he wiped the tears from his eyes. “Wow, you’re crying.” “Obviously, I- I thought I was alone in the world. It’s why I kept coming here, to make sure my family’s names were still carved into the memorial stone.” He sniffled and shook his head, recovering from the sudden wave of emotions. “Um, I’m glad for you actually! You know Lionel, I came here to stay but if you want I can take you to see your sister in the Valley.” Dandelion declared with a nod. “Really? You’d do that for me, even though we don’t know each other?” “I owe your family, y’know. It’s only thanks to Lorelei’s brother that my family escaped Astalon all those years ago.” “Brother? You mean that I have even more family?” “He’s dead, so no. He also wasn’t really Lorelei’s family. I was very little back then, but even I could tell he wasn’t from the Vie region. He had white hair, y’know.” “Oh. So when are we leaving?” “Next week. Y’wanna meet here every sunset till then, Lionel? I don’t want my dad seeing me hanging out with you, y’know. He’d tease me for years afterward.” She groaned, with Lionel laughing in response. “Sure. Want me to bring anything? I fish throughout the day, so I can get you any fish you like.” “Hmm…” She caressed her chin in thought. “Salmon? Salmon! Smoked salmon sounds great.” She said with a grin. “I’ll bring berries and salad. You’ll get to taste some traditional Valley cooking!” Lionel smiled. For the first time in a good while, he was actually looking forward to the future. [hider=Summary] We follow Lionel, an Astalonian who goes on a pilgrimage to his hometown in the Vie region of Astalon. There, he meets a woman named Dandelion who reveals that he’s got family currently living in the Astalonian settlement in the Valley close to the elves, a sister that he’d thought dead his whole life. Dandelion offers to take him to meet his sister and he accepts. [/hider] [hider= Vigour] Astus’ Starting=7 None used. Ending=7[/hider]