Mataus

Caravan: Resurrection

Paric gave Ayer a long look. He supposed Ayer did manage an acceptable introduction. It did, after all, show Ayer's personality quite well. The Myti did want to be treated as Paric was treated. Which is funny, Paric noted, given that I'm Ayer's assistant.

He didn't blame the Myti for wanting to take a step back and get to know them a little first. They had appeared from no where, possibly pursued by Nillium guards, and asked to be led to Leias. The Myti traveler would have quite the burden to take upon himself if he were to help the duo. Paric winked back at his friend. It was time for his introduction as well, as requested by the Myti. "I'm Paric," he said for his introduction as he stood near his bowing friend. A simple reply for a simple mind.

The most noticeable thing about the Myti was the assortment of tools and weapons he wore. It was enough tools to match Ayer, although the Myti probably didn't have anything like Wax Jury. Wouldn't surprise me if he had an artifact, though. Not that a Myti needs artifacts. Their prowess with magic was not secret.

Caravan: Resurrection

Paric noticed their mistake just after he saw Ayer react the the animal. He needed to get his eyes checked... He had seen Myti before, but this was quite sad, if he was being honest with himself. Perhaps the two just wanted to have an encounter free journey for awhile while they rested up. Then again, it wouldn't be an adventure if they did not run into trouble.

He let Ayer do most of the talking, raising his eyebrows in surprise when Ayer so quickly showed the Myti Wax Jury. Then again, given a good reason, the Myti probably would guide them. Not much else to do out in the middle of no where, surrounded by monsters of all sizes. It was obvious that they would need help, though. He was a drunk with little experience, and little alcohol, and his friend was a nerd who wasn't keen of violence. Their chances were slim, given caravans, for all their metallic might, sometimes got completely wiped out. They weren't even trained soldiers.

His gaze had left the Myti to scan the tall trees. Until, of course, Ayer threw a compliment that probably would not sit well with the Myti. The poor thing was obviously bitter that they had mistaked it for a monkey. He grimaced, mouthing a soundless "sorry" to the Myti. This was probably how all of Ayer's problems originally started. He probably unknowingly said something dumb to a high ranking Nillium commander.

@RyuShura

Caravan: Resurrection

Paric

@RyuShura

Tt Ayer's touch, Paric looked up from the leafy carpet that was the forest floor. He had been singing in his head, too distracted to have been listening. Wow, I need to pay more attention. Had Ayer not been listening, we would have never seen the creature in the trees.

It did appear to be a monkey or something similar. Usually they weren't dangerous, but it was hard to tell with the wildlife on their damned continent. Everything had it out for humanoids. "Well," he whispered, removing his gaze from the creature, "it is best not to stare it in the face or show it our teeth, I think. That would challenge it." He stopped walking altogether, his unease growing as he thought into it. "Do you know how long it has been watching? Has it called out?" He let out a breath. "Maybe we should make a loud noise to scare it off."

Truth be told, like most things, Paric did not know much about what they should do, or about the creature in front of them. He was running on luck and gut feelings, albeit with Ayer's knowledge. He was learning, though, and he felt that he would become more valuable as he spent more time as Ayer's assistant. Soon to an invaluable resource! Or perhaps I'll just be invaluable company... either way, I think I still would prefer being a drunk over an academic.

Caravan: Resurrection

If the Wax Jury's ability to perform various types of magic wasn't amazing enough, Ayer had just pulled a compass out of it. If Paric had this man on all of his previous travels, he would have been in a better place. Paric recalled a time when he tried to make a short trip by foot... only to get lost for a week and, when finally reaching his destination, realize it was where he had left from. All because he didn't carry much except a bottle of liquor and some clothes.

For all of Ayer's ability, the man still managed to find a crab dangling from an ear. Paric chuckled, "well, it could be worse. That Nillium would have done more than dangle from your ear." He walked over the beach's cool sand to his friend. The crab looked like it was more angry about dangling in the air than anything else. His friend had already tried to pull it off, which probably just made the crustacean angrier. "This should be pretty easy," he said, putting his palm under the crab. The crab's legs found his palm and its claws let their furious grip go. Paric lowered it to the sand, where it scurried off sideways to some nearby rocks. "We could have ate it if it was larger," he said, his voice showing slight dismay. "Then again, if it was any bigger, you would have a hole in your ear."

Ayer was not the only one feeling the fatigue, but Paric motioned towards the trees Ayer had said were North of them. "Shall we? I guess I will go first. Seeing as I am your assistant, friend."

Caravan: Resurrection

Paric

@RyuShura

Paric stared, eyebrows raised, as Ayer once more launched into one of his bouts of laughing. So Ayer is willing to take me as an assistance. Wouldn't that be funny? He didn't know a thing about Ayer's devices or about arcane theory in general. Those devices Ayer had were cool, though, and it would give him the ability to cast other spells... if Ayer made one for him. He wouldn't be constricted to only fire magic, not that he minded it, but magical freedom sounded... bliss.

He thought it over as they made their way to shore. It took the jolt of striking land for Ayer to stop laughing, giving Paric the chance to speak. "Ok, friend," he started as he went over the side of the boat, "I have considered being your assistant." His legs hit ground, which felt unstable. "So this is what it's like..." he mumbled to himself, thinking of the sailors who had talked about the land still feeling like the ocean after they had disembarked from their ships. "And I have decided that I would like to be your assistant. I believe you know what that means."

The beach they had landed on felt refreshing. The breeze off the water felt cool against his exhausted limbs and woke him up a bit from his exhausted state. It was open as well, which beat the dirty, cramped town of Nillium. It was concerning that they were no longer walled in, though. Most small wildlife could be scared away by a large wave of flames, but if any actual threat found them. I'm not ready for a fight with something actually deadly. "So, friend, do you know where we are? Leias would be in a northerly direction..."

Caravan: Resurrection

Paric

@RyuShura

Paric grinned at his friend, his fear had already started to drain away. The Nillium ship had started to put distance between them without ever sounding an alarm, and the shark was doing its best to mate with their boat. He laughed, "yes, friend, it thinks that we are a potential mate." Their luck was, once again, on their side. They should have died or been captured... but it didn't happen. Paric did not, in anyway, expect it to end the way it did. Ayer's explanation of how the Nillium could have been blinded by mating helped Paric understand the situation. "I did not realize that animals can be so blinded by sex. I guess the same can be said for some of us though."

"To shore it is. Would you mind paddling?" He asked, knowing that he wouldn't be of much help, and would just waste energy that he needed to heal. "In the meantime, I can tell you a little about my family." He shuffled to a more comfortable position, took a breath, and started. "I was the first born of my family, who have lived in Kel as far back as we can trace our lineage. I left Kel around the age of twenty. My parents had not decided to have another child, at least not while I was there. I don't know if I have a brother or sister now, but the possibility isn't low. Anyway, my parents were neutral in the Eldi ways. They did not fight those who ate humanoids, nor did they side with them. I did not realize my hate for my own race until I witnessed the stabbing and consumption of a human. From there I decided to leave Kel without my parents. For they had told me they wished to not get involved, and so stayed in Kel." He looked down at the boat's floor. "I wandered for awhile, y'know. I didn't have a place to go. For a moment, I got involved with some bad people. They were killed by some paladins while I was away from camp. From there I wandered from town to town as soon as I had the money for safe passage."

He let his head lean against the side of the boat. "That's a over simplified version of my past life. I thought you might like to know, given our situation."

Caravan: Resurrection

Paric

@RyuShura

Paric pulled in his oars, his hands visibly shaking. "Oh... oh this is bad! Very bad!" He did as Ayer said, moving his weight around to help balance their boat, which had already taken on a deadly lean. He couldn't believe their luck... or lack of luck. Whatever it was, it did not seem fair that they not only had to deal with the ship in alongside them, but also had a shark beneath them. A Nillium too for Maeti's sake! They had little chance to fend off such a beast. To think that they had escaped from the town... and Mop too! The very Mop who had shown extreme fortitude in his ability to survive their multitude of attacks. Yet they now faced a worse danger.

He thought about what they could do if the shark decided to go for them. "Friend, we can throw the oars to distract the shark if it comes to it!" Paric looked back over the side but was not able to see the Nillium. "Oh..." he whispered, "I don't see it! Where is it? WHERE?" He started to move to the opposite side to look over, but felt the ship start to lean again. He leaned back against the boat's side, flashing Ayer a look of terror.

Their boat had somewhat recovered from its lean, it was now safe from the Nillium ship's wake. However, the shark, being as large as it was, could knock their boat over as if it was a toy. It was Paric's first time seeing a shark, and, Paric had to admit, the experience was living up to be quite the terror.

The worst part about these Nillium sharks was how intelligently they hunted sailors. They were known for following a ship until an unfortunate sailor was leaning on a rail. Then they would strike the ship, consequently knocking the poor sailor to his doom. If Paric and Ayer had a chance to survive, it was based on the fact that the shark did not look at all hungry, and that it was odd for small ships to brave the channel. Meaning that the shark would probably mistake them for floating garbage, as Ayer had mentioned.

Caravan: Resurrection

"Leias it is then, friend. I have no where to go and find myself with nothing to persue. I find my destiny entwined with yours... At least for awhile." It was quite certain to Paric that Ayer would lead him to a better life... If not a more exciting one.

He listened to Ayer's view on the Eldi practice of eating humanoids silently. While his friend made solid points, Paric did not find his hate swayed in any way. "Yes, friend, we live in a different time... Yet they persue power from the consumption of flesh anyway. The Eldi still practice it under Kel. I am... relieved to hear you think it a crime." His mind was so absorbed that he did not notice the oncoming ship.

Paric's face paled some as he, too, spotted the oncoming light, moments after Ayer called it out. His friend was urging him to paddle, but he knew he wouldn't he of much use. Despite that, he grabbed his oars and began to work them through the water. His lack of practice and injury evident in his sluggish pace and weak paddling. Then he heard someone shouting about... A Nillium? One of those damned sharks that roam these waters. Big enough to flip this boat. The shark was on them within moments, visible because the spotlight had flashed over it. "Uh, there's a shark beneath us and you have a habit of excessively rocking the boat." He gulped, "and we're also falling away from the ship..."

Caravan: Resurrection

Paric

@RyuShura

So, his arcane theorist was from Arcadia. That did explain Ayer's interest in arcane theory, and his interest in arcane machinery. Paric did not mind anyone from Arcadia. The place seemed like it had a decent moral direction, at least from what he had heard. He never had actually been to the city.

With one eyebrow lifted, Paric studied his friend. A man of miracles? Wonder if he could purge half the Eldi race. "Whoa, friend. If you can do all that, then maybe you could find me a battle of good aged liquor? After all, how can I be your drunk fire wielding friend without being drunk?"

Ayer finally confirmed everything Paric had imagined about the man. The man was, in fact, a little crazy - no, just overly excited - about changing their world through science. It seemed to Paric that Ayer also did not entirely like the people he grew up with, although his distaste was a different type compared to Paric's. Nonetheless, he started to like the man even more... even when Ayer stood up and almost flipped their boat in a dramatic moment.

He let out a nervous laugh, "Hey, hey, as much as I despise my own race I don't want to die." He shook his head as Ayer called their momentary luck a miracle. "Well, friend, call it what you will. As long as we're both alive I don't care if it is a miracle of divine intervention."

His features darkened. "More about myself. As you probably know, my race receives benefits from the consumption of humanoids. Which is... disturbing. They also find science to be... unwelcome. If you think Arcadia has their chins held high, go look at the Eldi scholars. However, I myself find the little bit of science I've seen to be interesting." He moved his gaze away from the rowing Ayer and to the sea. "Kel is a place of corruption. The despicable Eldi practice of consuming humanoid flesh takes place in the Kel underworld. The city officials appear to do nothing to stop it." He sighed, letting his head rest on the side of the boat.

"Leias seems a good place to go, wouldn't you say?"

Caravan: Resurrection

Paric

@RyuShura

To his benefit, the climb went well despite his injury. Had Paric fallen, the gash would have opened up again and the bleeding would once again be at an all time worse. The makeshift bandage had already absorbed all the blood it could and was crimson now, though the blood was slowly browning as it dried.

Despite Ayer's previous uses of his arcane device, the most impressive to Paric was the device's ability to move their boat and the durability it was showing in doing so. Ayer's assistance to take a break was also extremely welcoming. His body was aching everywhere in places that he did not know could ache. There was also a dull pain running up his arm, which didn't help him relax any. All in all, he felt like he had been on the wrong end of a fist fight, fallen off a building, and rolled down a very long staircase. He could barely imagine what it would be like to swim if their boat capsized.

A loud laugh disturbed Paric's fitful nap. He raised his head in alarm, only to see that Ayer was laughing... at nothing? This poor guy needed a drink. He flashed Ayer a toothy grin. "Laughing off the night, friend?"

"My name is Paric. I hail from the Eldi city, Kel. I would think you know of it and about it." He said, realizing with a grin that he actually had yet to introduce himself. "I think we're even as far as the saving business goes. Where are you from?"