Private Tales Into The Wilds

[Jorg]

"My father...likely not." The Old man would likely be happy to see him, give him a slap on the back and listen to some of his stories of the Wild and Band. He had always loved Jorg, even if he had been a collossal fuck up. "My mother though..."

He cringed at the thought.

"My mother would truss me up and marry me to the highest noble born woman that she could find." His lips thinned to a frown, and he shivered slightly as he suddenly felt very cold.

It was like he was being watched.

"Then that woman would be assigned to 'tame' me, and I'd be living the rest of my life trying to escape." Jorg wasn't being sexist, just speaking from the realities of what Mallian High Born culture was like.

 

[Gabrielle Selana]

Gabby laughed rather loudly.

"Tame you? Like some kind of wild dog being called to howl at the moon?"

It sounded silly, though the sentiment wasn't entirely lost on her. Gabrielle had an expectation to marry at some point, though she wasn't pressured to do so, nor would she be forced into some arranged marriage. It just wasn't the way of her family.

"I'm sorry, that does sound reason enough to stay away." She nodded, "Do you miss it? Home, that is."

 

[Jorg]

The words made him cringe inside. 'Dog' and howling at the moon were a little bit too close to home. He choked slightly on the bite he was taking, coughing once or twice before clearing his throat. "Yeah. Something like that."

He said with a frown, rubbing his head for a second as he took in a deep breath. He was pretty sure that no woman could actually tame that side of him. Mostly because he himself had been unable to do it. As much as he'd tried.

"I do, sometimes." He answered, glad to be off the subject of being tamed. "Mallian is a contrast to the rest of the wilds. It's a city, not as large as Elbion of course but... a an actual city."

He explained. "Walls that span nearly a hundred feet tall, great palaces, no slums."

Despite his fathers belief in the class system, the Duke of Mallian had worked hard to ensure that even the poorest of his subject had a place to live and food to eat. That was something he could say for the old man.

"It's quite a sight to see." An island of civilization in the middle of nowhere.

 

[Gabrielle Selana]

"Perhaps some day." She said, insinuating a visit might be worth the trip.

Gabrielle took another bite of her food, then a few sips of water. "It sounds quite the sight indeed." Elbion was nice, but it was all too familiar to her. Nothing was new to see. Having lived there her entire life there was nothing to see or discover anymore. The only things that changed were those who visited from distant places, and that was relatively scarce by comparison.

"There's always more to see in this world. I wish there were time for everything in our short time here."

 

[Jorg]

He smiled. "I wouldn't go wishing for immortality."

Jorg had met an immortal once, a lich. The thing had been...well not really alive anymore. Mind addled by evil and broken into a thousand pieces. It was the first contract he'd taken part in with the Band. That thing had wiped nearly half of their numbers out.

"But." He added quietly. "I know what you mean."

He'd lived most of his life in the Wilds, and he'd hardly seen a tenth of a tenth of the place. "Did you know there's supposedly an entire city of Elves in the middle of the Wilds?"

It was a common rumor in Mallian.

"All of them women too." Which seemed somewhat ludicrous to him, mostly because that seemed like a short way to ensure a city didn't last. Unless elves made babies different than humans...Jorg wondered if they did.

 

[Gabrielle Selana]

The idea of immortality was certainly intriguing. To live through the ages and watch civilizations rise, grow, and flourish, coupled with such vast amounts of knowledge and time to process it all. It was alluring.

Though she did suppose on the flip side it might become incredibly lonely. To watch everyone you have ever known die, to always be alone. It was certainly a heavy price and burden to carry.

“I suppose.” She conceded. “And yes, I too have heard that rumor, though I’ve met a sparse few Elves in my life. They are rather reclusive from what I understand.” She perked an eye about the matriarchy bit. “I have not heard about the lack of men, however.”

 

[Jorg]

He shrugged his shoulders. "That's the word in the Wilds."

Of course, that did not at all mean that it was true. Mallian was about as much a rumor mill as any other city. There were a thousand explanations for everything, and most of the time all of them were either wrong or mostly lies.

"I don't think this bunch is much different." He said, referring to the fact that most Elves tended to stay away from other species. "I'm not sure if it's true mind you."

Jorg added. "But If any place has a city full of only women, much less Elves, it would be the Wilds."

Sigh. What he wouldn't give to spend a week there.

 

[Gabrielle Selana]

Gabrielle nodded. "If nothing else it sounds better than a jungle full of monstrous poisonous spiders." And thus far that's all they'd encountered. Perhaps that was a blessing in and of itself. Gabby wasn't quite looking to discover all the various species of murderous creatures in the wilds after all, so that much she was willing to miss out on.

She sat quietly and finished the rest of her share of the food, pausing now and then to drink, as well as cautiously look around for any potential predator. Hopefully not every night on this trip would be disturbed by some ill mannered monster.

"Do you typically lead people into the ruins, or just get them there and wait for their return?"

 

[Jorg]

"Mm." Jorg couldn't help but agree on that point at the very least. "Of course, you have to go through the jungle full of monsters to actually get there, but..."

He shrugged, semantics.

As she ate, Jorg stood up and tested his clothes to see how dry they were. The fire was doing it's trick, but it would still take a bit of time for them to actually be completely dry. Still, he shifted what was still the most wet to the inside of the line.

"Usually?" He echoed.

"Usually I don't lead them to ruins at all." Sliding his small clothes to the center Jorg continued. "Most of the time a merchant wants to reach another town somewhere, maybe speculate on some lumber or get to the base of the Spine."

He stopped for a second. "There's been a few who wanted to go to the ruins, but...well they never made it that far. Turned back after the first monster."

He was sure to point out that they hadn't died.

 

[Gabrielle Selana]

"I see." Gabby nodded.

"Well then this will be a first for us both." She sounded entirely confident in herself as she spoke. The heat of the fire itself was beginning to be too much from where she was sitting, so upon picking herself up from the ground, slid a ways back before taking up a seat again.

"Fire's a bit warm."

The engineer didn't want him to worry that she was backing away from him for any particular reason.

"Perhaps it's fortunate for them and us that they turned back. For them in that they knew they weren't cut out for it, and us in that it leaves a higher chance to find something once we arrive." That put a particular smile on her face.

 

[Jorg]

He perked an eyebrow, amusement playing across Jorg's face. He was not entirely sure that her words would have been his first take, but she seemed more than pleased by it. "Well that certainly is an optimists way of looking at it."

Perhaps this ruin would be filled with more treasure than either of them had ever seen before, or perhaps they would stumble upon monsters the likes which even Jorg hadn't seen before.

"I'm sure we'll find something." He assured her.

There was always something left behind.

"Wake me in thirty." Jorg asked, yawning slightly. "Clothes should be dry by then."

 

[Gabrielle Selana]

"Alright."

While Jorg saw to catching a short nap Gabrielle decided to replenish a bit of the magical energy she had expended the day prior from her gauntlet. Thirty minutes would suffice, she hadn't performed anything overly strenuous. This was the perfect time really, she hadn't anything else to do.

Drawing in a breath and quietly exhaling Gabby closed her eyes and began the process of directing her own energy into the sapphire. The world around her faded away as she slipped into an almost trance-like state. It was a practice she had become accustomed to. In the end she would feel a bit light headed or sleepy, but it would wear off once she had rested some.

As she sat she felt the rain slowly begin to fall. It was very light, a single drop here and there, not enough to interrupt her. At least, not until the air around her began to feel warmer, and damp.

Something wasn't right...

The engineer opened her eyes and looked up.

There was no rain...

Just. A. Hungry. Basilisk.

"JORG!"

Her voice was loud enough to pierce through a city wall.

 

[Jorg]

Jorg snapped his eyes open the instance he heard his name called.

Fingers reached for his sword, but as soon as he saw the massive green and black snake before them he knew that such an idea was utterly and completely fucked. "Don't."

He called to Gabrielle as he saw her out of the corner of her eye.

"Move." The Massive snake seemed to sniff the air, slowly looking around the campsite as if searching for something. It's gaze peered slowly over the engineer, and then towards Jorg before flicking over to the two well trained horses. "Stay still, Red."

He warned his charge as he slowly, agonizingly so, picked himself up and off the ground.

His steps were careful, his gaze flickering to the nearly blind snake as he moved. Basilisks relied on scent and sound to catch their prey, their eyesight catching only things that moved quickly. Jorg knew that, and he knew that their only chance of getting away was if they had bait.

Problem was...that Bait was still ladened down with most of their supplies.

 

[Gabrielle Selana]

Every cell in her body was screaming to run. That standing where she was was certain death. She could feel herself shaking. This creature was so very close to her that it was drooling on her. The pounding in her chest echoed in her head.

Gabrielle fought against herself to remain still, eyes focused entirely on the snake as it towered over her.

What felt like an eternity was mere seconds. Each time it moved she felt her heart jump. She could use magic, trouble was if whatever she did wasn't enough, there wouldn't be a second try. This thing would kill her in an instant.

Instead she held her breath and kept her eyes above her.

 

[Jorg]

Jorg thanked whatever god watched over him that Gabrielle listened. Had she been selfish, had she been stupid, they both would have ended up dead.

Slowly the Mercenary managed to sneak over to the closest horse; his horse. Lips thinned as he glanced back and watched the Basilisk drool all over the Redhead. He'd seen something similar once in an Allirian brothel, but...

His head shook.

Now wasn't the time.

Slowly Jorg reached up and pulled the saddlebags off of his horse. He grabbed his daggers too, and then the sack of extra clothes. "Sorry girl."

He whispered quietly to the horse, and then he smacked it.

Jorg dove to the side, the horse gave out a loud whinney, and then suddenly charged forward into the jungle. In an instant the basilisk whirled itself around, a loud hiss erupting from the depths of it's throat as it charged after the horse.

 

[Gabrielle Selana]

Gabby's heart fell into her stomach as she figured out what Jorg was aiming to do. That poor horse. Her chest tightened, but there was nothing she could do from where she sat. If she made any movement or tried to deter Jorg it would endanger them even more.

Instead she sat quietly and watched, pain in her heart as he set the horse off running. Predatory instincts kicked in for the Basilisk and it immediately pursued after Jorg's horse. Gabrielle didn't have to wonder what sort of fate awaited it in the not too distant future.

Even if the snake didn't catch up to it, something else would.

Heartbreaking.

Once it was off Gabby sighed, clearly upset by the whole thing. "thanks."

 

[Jorg]

Jorg let out a long sigh of relief.

He hadn't like doing what he did, but he'd also known that it was the only way that they would get out alive. They had managed to kill a Waywatcher, a feat in it of itself, but a Basilisk? For that Jorg would have wanted ten good men and a bow.

"She was a good one." Jorg said softly, looking after the trail in the forest that the Basilisk had left in its wake. His head shook ruefully, fingers clenching into a hard fist as he swallowed hard. "You're welcome."

He managed finally. "You'll ride, take the bags."

A sigh escaped him. There were going to be questions. She was too smart not to notice. Mentally he prepared some answers for the next few days. "I'll keep pace with you."

He said as he sat himself back down.

 

[Gabrielle Selana]

This put them into a difficult position. If Gabby rode, there's no way he could keep up. Sure maybe they could trot at a slow and steady pace, but where a horse could walk just about all day, there was no way a person could keep up that endurance. It would kill them.

"We can switch off. You'll never be able to walk as much as the horse can."

It was the only possible solution. If they both walked they would both get tired, and there was no purpose any longer to having the horse. If only she rode, he would kill himself from exhaustion. This was going to cost them a lot of time regardless.

It was not a good situation to be in.

 

[Jorg]

Ah shit she was already starting.

Damn it.

"Red." Jorg wondered if he had ever actually gotten her real first name. He was pretty sure that he hadn't and if he did he definitely couldn't remember it right now. "I'm just gonna need you to just trust me on this one."

Would that work?

"You hired me for a reason." He could keep pace with the Horse for five days if he had to. The Deal he'd made ensured that at least.

 

[Gabrielle Selana]

Piercing hazel eyes shot a look of complete and utter disbelief at Jorg. What was there to trust? He wasn't asking her to believe he knew where he was going, or that he knew how to handle a monster. Those were things she could very much just trust him on. This was simply human limits. It wasn't a believe or disbelieve sort of thing.

"What?" She asked, completely dumbfounded. "I did hire you for a reason. Because you know where you're going and how to handle the things in these woods." Her eyes creased further, "But between the two of us, though I'm no doctor, I think I'm the more qualified one to determine the lengths of stress one can put upon the human body, wouldn't you agree?"

He had no understanding or knowledge of magic, she was certain of that. So unless he had some kind of amulet, or something to that extent, she was completely lost as to how he could possibly believe he could keep up with her riding the entire way.

 

[Jorg]

He cringed. "Look, it's not that I'm doubting your abilities in anatomy."

Jorg very much doubted that he did indeed know more about how the human body worked than Gabrielle did, but he wasn't about to tell her the actual reason as to why he could walk further and faster than most human beings could ever hope to.

She would probably run away screaming into the Wilds. It was best to avoid that happening and just continue to lie.

Just a bit.

"I can't tell you why." He said with a shrug. "But I guarantee you I can do it. always have been. Maybe something in my genes."

Technically he wasn't lying about that. "We'll do it tomorrow, If you catch me getting tired, we'll switch alright?"

It seemed a reasonable compromise.

 

[Gabrielle Selana]

If it's in your genes then your genes are not human.

She pursed her lips and stared at him, nakedness be damned. "Fine." She said. Though if he did manage to keep up that was hardly going to silence her questions. It simply was not possible, and she was not budging from that soapbox.

"I'll ride. You keep up."

Gabby sat back down and proceeded to continue with replenishing her sapphire's magical energy.

If he intended to be stubborn she would simply let him. They would continue the conversation later.

 

[Jorg]

Good, at least she would back off for a day. That would give him enough time to concoct a good story that didn't involve the fact that he turned into a Werewolf every thirty days.

Fingers tightened for a second, and then he turned around and grabbed after his clothes. They were thankfully dry now, and the smoke had even erased some of the scent of sweat. Small clothes, trousers, and shirt were all quickly pulled on.

He wasn't one for modesty, but he was mostly aware that she did not feel entirely feel comfortable with the way he'd been...undressed.

As he finished with his own clothes Jorg moved Gabrielle's own a bit closer to the fire, ensuring that they would dry as well.

Then he sat himself back down, leaning against the same tree as he had before. "I hadn't thought of this before."

He said suddenly.

"But can you set wards?" Jorg had known a wizard who could once, that would have been immensely helpful.

 

[Gabrielle Selana]

Her eyes remained closed as Jorg moved about their camp, focusing on her task. Even as he spoke to her she remained silent for a minute or so longer. Perhaps he might think her ignoring him, given that it looked as though she were simply sitting there. The sapphire stone didn't give off any sort of indication that she was interacting with it.

She could simply feel when the task was complete.

"No." She said finally, hazel eyes opening to see that Jorg was at least dressed now. "I don't know how."

It wasn't really her area of expertise.

"The fields of magic are as numerous as the trades of the hand, if that makes sense." Not to mention the means in which magic was, for lack of a better term, created. "I've learned a great many ways to apply magic to my trade, and to apply that to situations where I need to improvise, but I'm not a wizard, or a healer." She thought on the idea for another moment, considering an alternative to the question posed. "I could make a golem. Not exactly a ward, but a warden." That was, however, no small task, and would cost her the majority of an afternoon to do so.

 

[Jorg]

He frowned for a brief moment, disappointed by that revelation. It would have been nice to actually get a full amount of rest for once. Oh well. "That would take time, yes?"

Jorg had learned that most magic beyond the basic usually required a day or more to actually conduct. From what he'd seen Gabrielle's magic was no different on that factor, and he did not want to waste valuable time if they didn't have to.

"Can you do it from horseback?" After all, if he was keeping pace with them she would hardly have to worry about where she was going.

Having something that could alert them of a monster getting closer would have been nice. Especially given the experience of the past two nights.