30th of Ymiden, arc 717
”Bite.” Aeon said, but the little thing wouldn’t listen. ”Bite.” He repeated, but it still wouldn’t do it. He didn’t know whether that was because of the poor training he was giving it or because it felt too attached to him to bite him, but the little scython-ur kitten wouldn’t bite his wooden finger. The boy grew frustrated with himself considering he hadn’t made any progress on training the animal ever since he tamed it. Sure, he tamed it, and it liked him, but it wasn’t trained.
Still, he threw a piece of meat in the air and the little thing jumped a foot or two and grabbed it with its little fangs. It was good at jumping and running at least. Aeon couldn’t get the looks of the weirded out lotharro out of his head. He found the way they stared at him when he took the little beast out for a run hilarious. For beast tamers, they weren’t used to tamed beasts. Perhaps it was simply because of how cute the little thing looked when it ran, but who knew.
He had seen, however, other scythons around the city, specifically with the jegers, and assumed it was a common mount for them. The little kitten, who he had named Ariel, had a lot to learn, that was for sure, but one trial, sometime in the future, it would be as fierce and deadly as the others. Aeon smiled at the thought, he never knew raising an animal all by himself could be this rewarding, especially in the happiness department.
It wouldn’t be anything, however, if it didn’t learn to follow commands, so one more time, he said ”Bite.” But still nothing happened. Was he really that horrible at training animals to follow commands? About thirty trills later, the animal's fangs closed around his wooden finger, to his delight and it’s disgust. Wood didn’t taste good, Aeon assumed, so he simply gave it another piece of meat for the job well done.
”Now jump.” He said, but unfortunately, nothing happened once again. The boy could feel the breeze on his cheeks as the sun began setting down. Perhaps it was time for them to return to the tavern. But one look at the sad face of the kitten made Aeon stop thinking about that, and give her another, this time smaller, piece of meat. He couldn’t keep giving her the same size of meat pieces, otherwise she’d get used to it and demand more each time.
His head was filled with memories each time he looked the little animal in the eyes, memories of his homeland, of working at the Skye Verath Lodge, with the volareon, and the jacadon, especially the jacadon. It also reminded him of that time he, along with Ruq and Hart, rescued a young jacadon from drowning. It was a true adventure, not unlike those in Gauthrel, and he wondered where the pair ended up after that, or whether or not they remembered him. He guessed not, not as good as he remembered them.
Then there was that time when Gaspard found an injured jacadon in the wilderness and brought him to the Lodge. It was the toughest work trial in Aeon’s life, it was, considering he needed to both help out with the injured one, as well as do all of the regular work he would’ve been doing. He even volunteered to help Poppy out that trial, but she refused him. Poppy, there were only good memories surrounding her, and Aeon couldn’t tell whether he ever felt something for her, or whether she was always just a friend. If she saw him now, she surely wouldn’t feel anything for him, even if she did once.
Helping the animal make its way onto his shoulder, Aeon started walking towards the gate, as he considered what he’d become. In a couple short seasons, he turned from an honourable knight to a mercenary in the most dangerous place in the world. And yet, he still managed to be in pain, even when honour wasn’t in question. He still managed to lose someone close to him. He needed to grow stronger, become powerful, but he couldn’t do that by himself, he considered as he neared the tavern where he lived at the moment.
Entering the room, foxface was already lying on his bed probably lost in his thoughts as Ariel growled lazily and startled the bearded man. ”Zanik’s piss! You need to keep that thing quiet when I’m thinking.” He said with a serious tone yet a sly look on his face, almost as he wanted to eat Aeon’s pet, and the animal hissed in response, before finding its way to Aeon’s bed and nesting itself there, ready to fall asleep. It had been an exhausting trial of running and training for her, after all.
”Like you keep quiet when I’m trying to read?” Aeon asked with a smirk. He noticed he was smiling a lot more ever since he tamed Ariel, and that was most certainly a good thing. Both he and everyone who knew him knew he needed to smile more often. The animal was simply a miracle worker in that field. Perhaps all animals were like that, giving constant reasons to smile to their owners, perhaps it was only Ariel, Aeon didn’t know, nor did he care.
”Aeon...do you have something to tell me?” Foxface asked with a sly smile on his bearded face, carefully though, watching to not wake up the kitten. Even though Ariel was very young, she was still a danger to the defenceless foxface. The pair had gotten to know each other so well, they knew what the other one was thinking just by facial expressions, and so foxface was right. The boy did have something to tell him, but it would ruin the currently happy mood he was in, so he tried putting it off as far as he could.
”Yes. Connor, I’m weak. The more of the world I see, the weaker I am. Back in Rynmere, I thought I was strong, and I lost someone. And then when I came here, I thought I was stronger than before, and yet I still lost someone. I can’t handle being weak anymore.” Most people wouldn’t understand what he meant, but foxface did. He knew exactly what he meant. Aeon was considering magic as an option. Never before did he think about that, but now, ever since he met Fridgar, it came to him more and more.
”Aeon. You told me yourself, you’re not going to do that to yourself. I can make you stronger. I can make your armour the strongest around, and your weapon the sharpest, but what you’re saying is...Is not you, kid. “ Foxface said, the sly look leaving his face and being replaced with a saddened one. He was watching an innocent soul be corrupted by the great powers of the world, who wouldn’t be saddened? Except he had seen it all before, and he knew how it ended. ”If you’re sure, however, and you’re willing to do whatever it takes. I know a woman who can make you stronger, but at a price.” He finished, mysteriously, but Aeon shook his head. The idea was crazy.
”No, I don’t...I can’t. You’re right.” He had heard Connor talk about this woman before, but only last time he did, and the times before, he had fear filling his eyes. Mad fear of her powers. To the level where she seemed like an Immortal herself. Aeon would keep her in mind, if nothing else but to be wary of her. Because who wouldn’t be wary of a mortal with an Immortal’s powers.
”Aeon, magic is something that can make you incredibly powerful. Beyond comprehension, if you use it right. Unfortunately, most people can’t use it right.” Foxface said once more with a sad look behind his long hair and beard. He was obviously talking from personal experience. ”But if you ever do decide to take that route, I believe you to be one of the few that can use it the way it’s supposed to be used. You know, not abused, and not misused.” He said, filling the boy with hope. His companion believed in him, and as much as he didn’t want to admit it, Aeon felt good about that. He, however, didn’t have anything to reply, so he simply nodded and continued moving his hand along the fur of the scython-ur while it slept.
”I doubt I would Connor. I have considered it, and...I would fail just as easily as those around me. I am not a hero to some fairy tale, life’s been making that painfully obvious to me lately.” The boy finally said after several bits had passed and the animal curled itself in his lap. She liked to do that, Aeon thought as he scratched her behind her ear and received positive feedback from her face. As much as he hated to admit it, it was true. As much as he wanted to play the hero, the main character, he simply wasn’t. There were dozens, if not hundreds of people stronger, more powerful than him that could dispatch him in moments, as well as thousands of monsters that could do the same. He was simply lucky thus far as to not encounter any of them, which is what gave him pride. Pride was bad though, and pride would get him killed if he didn’t change something.
”Look at your hand Aeon. How many people around you have the same? Look at your scars, how many of them can claim to have survived what you have? What do you say to that?” Foxface persisted, being as annoying as ever, this time in a completely different light. Usually, he would’ve been trying to break Aeon’s cockiness, his self-confidence, not boost it, but this was an exception, they both knew it. After meeting Fridgar and seeing what the lothar could do, the boy was significantly low on morale, no matter how much more he was smiling.
”I was lucky. I won’t be lucky forever.”
”Bite.” Aeon said, but the little thing wouldn’t listen. ”Bite.” He repeated, but it still wouldn’t do it. He didn’t know whether that was because of the poor training he was giving it or because it felt too attached to him to bite him, but the little scython-ur kitten wouldn’t bite his wooden finger. The boy grew frustrated with himself considering he hadn’t made any progress on training the animal ever since he tamed it. Sure, he tamed it, and it liked him, but it wasn’t trained.
Still, he threw a piece of meat in the air and the little thing jumped a foot or two and grabbed it with its little fangs. It was good at jumping and running at least. Aeon couldn’t get the looks of the weirded out lotharro out of his head. He found the way they stared at him when he took the little beast out for a run hilarious. For beast tamers, they weren’t used to tamed beasts. Perhaps it was simply because of how cute the little thing looked when it ran, but who knew.
He had seen, however, other scythons around the city, specifically with the jegers, and assumed it was a common mount for them. The little kitten, who he had named Ariel, had a lot to learn, that was for sure, but one trial, sometime in the future, it would be as fierce and deadly as the others. Aeon smiled at the thought, he never knew raising an animal all by himself could be this rewarding, especially in the happiness department.
It wouldn’t be anything, however, if it didn’t learn to follow commands, so one more time, he said ”Bite.” But still nothing happened. Was he really that horrible at training animals to follow commands? About thirty trills later, the animal's fangs closed around his wooden finger, to his delight and it’s disgust. Wood didn’t taste good, Aeon assumed, so he simply gave it another piece of meat for the job well done.
”Now jump.” He said, but unfortunately, nothing happened once again. The boy could feel the breeze on his cheeks as the sun began setting down. Perhaps it was time for them to return to the tavern. But one look at the sad face of the kitten made Aeon stop thinking about that, and give her another, this time smaller, piece of meat. He couldn’t keep giving her the same size of meat pieces, otherwise she’d get used to it and demand more each time.
His head was filled with memories each time he looked the little animal in the eyes, memories of his homeland, of working at the Skye Verath Lodge, with the volareon, and the jacadon, especially the jacadon. It also reminded him of that time he, along with Ruq and Hart, rescued a young jacadon from drowning. It was a true adventure, not unlike those in Gauthrel, and he wondered where the pair ended up after that, or whether or not they remembered him. He guessed not, not as good as he remembered them.
Then there was that time when Gaspard found an injured jacadon in the wilderness and brought him to the Lodge. It was the toughest work trial in Aeon’s life, it was, considering he needed to both help out with the injured one, as well as do all of the regular work he would’ve been doing. He even volunteered to help Poppy out that trial, but she refused him. Poppy, there were only good memories surrounding her, and Aeon couldn’t tell whether he ever felt something for her, or whether she was always just a friend. If she saw him now, she surely wouldn’t feel anything for him, even if she did once.
Helping the animal make its way onto his shoulder, Aeon started walking towards the gate, as he considered what he’d become. In a couple short seasons, he turned from an honourable knight to a mercenary in the most dangerous place in the world. And yet, he still managed to be in pain, even when honour wasn’t in question. He still managed to lose someone close to him. He needed to grow stronger, become powerful, but he couldn’t do that by himself, he considered as he neared the tavern where he lived at the moment.
Entering the room, foxface was already lying on his bed probably lost in his thoughts as Ariel growled lazily and startled the bearded man. ”Zanik’s piss! You need to keep that thing quiet when I’m thinking.” He said with a serious tone yet a sly look on his face, almost as he wanted to eat Aeon’s pet, and the animal hissed in response, before finding its way to Aeon’s bed and nesting itself there, ready to fall asleep. It had been an exhausting trial of running and training for her, after all.
”Like you keep quiet when I’m trying to read?” Aeon asked with a smirk. He noticed he was smiling a lot more ever since he tamed Ariel, and that was most certainly a good thing. Both he and everyone who knew him knew he needed to smile more often. The animal was simply a miracle worker in that field. Perhaps all animals were like that, giving constant reasons to smile to their owners, perhaps it was only Ariel, Aeon didn’t know, nor did he care.
”Aeon...do you have something to tell me?” Foxface asked with a sly smile on his bearded face, carefully though, watching to not wake up the kitten. Even though Ariel was very young, she was still a danger to the defenceless foxface. The pair had gotten to know each other so well, they knew what the other one was thinking just by facial expressions, and so foxface was right. The boy did have something to tell him, but it would ruin the currently happy mood he was in, so he tried putting it off as far as he could.
”Yes. Connor, I’m weak. The more of the world I see, the weaker I am. Back in Rynmere, I thought I was strong, and I lost someone. And then when I came here, I thought I was stronger than before, and yet I still lost someone. I can’t handle being weak anymore.” Most people wouldn’t understand what he meant, but foxface did. He knew exactly what he meant. Aeon was considering magic as an option. Never before did he think about that, but now, ever since he met Fridgar, it came to him more and more.
”Aeon. You told me yourself, you’re not going to do that to yourself. I can make you stronger. I can make your armour the strongest around, and your weapon the sharpest, but what you’re saying is...Is not you, kid. “ Foxface said, the sly look leaving his face and being replaced with a saddened one. He was watching an innocent soul be corrupted by the great powers of the world, who wouldn’t be saddened? Except he had seen it all before, and he knew how it ended. ”If you’re sure, however, and you’re willing to do whatever it takes. I know a woman who can make you stronger, but at a price.” He finished, mysteriously, but Aeon shook his head. The idea was crazy.
”No, I don’t...I can’t. You’re right.” He had heard Connor talk about this woman before, but only last time he did, and the times before, he had fear filling his eyes. Mad fear of her powers. To the level where she seemed like an Immortal herself. Aeon would keep her in mind, if nothing else but to be wary of her. Because who wouldn’t be wary of a mortal with an Immortal’s powers.
”Aeon, magic is something that can make you incredibly powerful. Beyond comprehension, if you use it right. Unfortunately, most people can’t use it right.” Foxface said once more with a sad look behind his long hair and beard. He was obviously talking from personal experience. ”But if you ever do decide to take that route, I believe you to be one of the few that can use it the way it’s supposed to be used. You know, not abused, and not misused.” He said, filling the boy with hope. His companion believed in him, and as much as he didn’t want to admit it, Aeon felt good about that. He, however, didn’t have anything to reply, so he simply nodded and continued moving his hand along the fur of the scython-ur while it slept.
”I doubt I would Connor. I have considered it, and...I would fail just as easily as those around me. I am not a hero to some fairy tale, life’s been making that painfully obvious to me lately.” The boy finally said after several bits had passed and the animal curled itself in his lap. She liked to do that, Aeon thought as he scratched her behind her ear and received positive feedback from her face. As much as he hated to admit it, it was true. As much as he wanted to play the hero, the main character, he simply wasn’t. There were dozens, if not hundreds of people stronger, more powerful than him that could dispatch him in moments, as well as thousands of monsters that could do the same. He was simply lucky thus far as to not encounter any of them, which is what gave him pride. Pride was bad though, and pride would get him killed if he didn’t change something.
”Look at your hand Aeon. How many people around you have the same? Look at your scars, how many of them can claim to have survived what you have? What do you say to that?” Foxface persisted, being as annoying as ever, this time in a completely different light. Usually, he would’ve been trying to break Aeon’s cockiness, his self-confidence, not boost it, but this was an exception, they both knew it. After meeting Fridgar and seeing what the lothar could do, the boy was significantly low on morale, no matter how much more he was smiling.
”I was lucky. I won’t be lucky forever.”
