Fable - Ask The Road Less Traveled

[Arbane Thesalor]

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the road less traveled b

The weaved its way through the trees leaving a slight tickle on Arbane Thesalor's skin. His hand reached out toward a stretch of tall grass that ran along next to the road that he found himself on. The grass in front of him was tall, yet plain, even a little yellow from signs of it dying from too much sunlight. However, behind him, the grass seemed to turn into a colorful trail of flowers that were in full bloom.

The abundance of flowers brought with them the fresh scent of the floral arrangement, and a smile to Arbane's face. He walked through this seemingly abandon area of the Falwood with not a care in the world. Others might find it quite strange this singular elf walking through the woods with a trail of flowers following him.

Arbane whistled a soft tune as the area of the forest around him seemed to be instilled with greater life than normally in this part of the Falwood. Small creatures such as birds and squirrels were attracted to this area which had a new abundance of life instilled into it.

"Hello, my little friends."

Vulpesen

 

[Vulpesen]

The falwood was a place of peace for the warlock, a home away from home. While it didn't hold all the familiar dangers of the deep Ixchel's fauna, the towering forest reminded him of his home jungles with towering woods and a wide canvas of deep greens. Today, Vulpesen's mission had been one of his easier ones, simply doing a small favor for the Spring Court to help increase his master's influence.

Now leaving the world of the fae, it was time that the mortal return to his own realm. Usually such a change was done by going to the nearest city where he could buy a glass of whiskey and mingle with civilization, but it seemed fate had another plan. His ears flicked at the sound of a soft tune whispering through the woods and he followed it to find a fellow mortal surrounded by small creatures.

He doubted whoever this was would sense the fact that he was sitting directly on a leyline crossroad, and given the secretive nature, the warlock wasn't about to bring it up. Still, there'd be no harm in introducing himself to chance company. "Salutations. Didn't expect to see someone out here," he called out as he passed into the clearing, not even bothering to glamour his golden eyes and black tail. Few on this side of the continent were well travelled enough to recognize a zorren when they saw one though it wasn't impossible.

Arbane Thesalor

 

[Arbane Thesalor]

The animals alerted Arbane to the new arrival before he himself was aware that he had company. He noticed some of the smaller creatures tense or even scamper away from the new individual.

Arbane turned his eyes onto the culprit just as he was making himself known. A jovial smile was plastered onto the face of the old elf as he looked the man up and down. His eyes glanced over the tail before locking eyes with the newcomer.

"Oh, hello there. Did not realize I would be blessed with company this afternoon, but I am ever thankful for it. Tell me what are you doing out here young one?"

By now most of the animals has scurried off, except for a small squirrel that seemed enamored with Arbane, for the moment.

From what he knew of this area, it was not widely traveled or settled upon.

Vulpesen

 

[Vulpesen]

No swords, daggers, curses, or traps. Good. Vulpesen had dealt with enough threats in the past week, and had borne them with a smile. He needed either a straight fight of a friendly face that was real. This appeared to be the latter which is what he preferred. Wasn't often he got the best case scenario. "Just passin' through. Had some business and its time to get back to the road."

His eyes turned to the squirrel and his body relaxed a bit more. Sentients lied. Elves, humans, and all. They called you friend while sharpening their blades. But animals were creatures of honesty. Not the candor veiled trickery of fae, but actual honesty in purpose and thought. It made them trustworthy, and if they trusted a man then Vulpesen knew better than to question their judgement. "What about you?" His eyes turned to the trail of flowers. "Starting a secret garden?"

Arbane Thesalor

 

[Arbane Thesalor]

Arbane looked at the flowers that trailed behind with just a hint of surprise and mirth. He removed his hand from the grass realizing his absent mind actions, instead of holding out his hand to the squirrel which crawled up his arm.

"Hopefully not a secret. I suppose I could have put them in a better spot...At least the animals can enjoy them while they are here."

Arbane absent-mindedly turned to the flowers but continued to speak to Vulpesen.

"Not much business I can imagine out there. You must have a strange job." He suggested with a chuckle.

Arbane himself was finishing up with business. That business was a much-needed vacation, that he had not told anyone about when he left. Man, they were going to be so mad at him when he came back.

Vulpesen

 

[Vulpesen]

"A very strange job," he agreed, his lips showing a fanged grin as his tail flicked behind him. Vulpesen cast his eyes once more to the blooms, easily sensing the magic that sustained them in their abnormal presence. "Time for a vacation I think, or at least, a bit of personal time as I wait for my next task."

Vulpesen lifted a hand, his fist clenching as he took control of the ley energy around them. Twining up from the grass at his own feet would be a simple chair made of thick vines and grass. It wasn't an instantaneous process, and the chair wouldn't be earning any prizes for craftmanship, but it would certainly do for giving his weary legs a rest. "You from around here?"

Arbane Thesalor

 

[Arbane Thesalor]

Arbane's strange new traveling companion certainly knew how to impress. A sturdy chair out her would-be convenient might be something worth trying.

"It's always important to get some time to yourself. Sadly, I am not from here. In fact, I am from quite a ways off. I need to start making my way back that way, or there may be a good number of people growing mad at me. Such is the curse of responsibility."

For all of Arbane's talents, he had a habit of getting lost. There was supposed to be a portal stone around here somewhere, right?

"Pardon me...Do you know where a portal stone might be located nearby?"

Seeing that this conversation might be turning into a stationary event, Arbane slowly crouched down and then transferred into a sitting position on the ground.

Vulpesen

 

[Vulpesen]

Being far from home was something the zorren could very easily relate too, his own being a continent away. Unfortunately, his time to return home was still out of his grasp. "There's one a bit to the west. I may be headed there myself. These woods are nice, but so's a good tavern with a cold drink." Traveler that he was, the portal stones had become a necessity for Vulpesen's life of service, as such, he found it important to remember where to find each one, no matter where he might be.

"Where ya from? Can't imagine its much farther than myself, unless you're somewhere east of Epressa." A twang of embarrassment ran through Vulpesen as he watched Arbane lower himself to the ground. Certainly, he didn't have the best attendance on his etiquette lessons and perhaps soldiering wasn't the best for teaching pomp and ceremony, but he knew it would be rude to go without at least offering a seat to one he was talking with. As he waited for the elf's answer, Vulpesen once more channeled his power, a hand lifting to form another seat next to Arbane.

Arbane Thesalor

 

[Arbane Thesalor]

"Ah, but if only I could get my nourishment from nature...I would still drink anyways." Arbane laughed as his own simple joke as he sank into his own seat.

The woods were good for thinking, and for enjoying the life around you, but sometimes the only answer to a problem was a good drink.

"I'm from Epressa, also, right around the Spine. Beautiful lands out that way."

Partially, one of the reasons he had come out this way was to just enjoy some more...foreign habitats. The sands of Amol-Kalit were nice if you knew how to handle them. The savannah was plan yet calming, and the forests of the Falwood always felt like a piece of home.

"Where are you from on Epressa? It's a big continent."

Vulpesen

 

[Vulpesen]

“Been around the spine a few times. Mountains get a bit cold for me though.” In retrospect, there were few regions on the eastern continent that Vulpesen hadn’t marched. Soldiers went where there were orders and the war against injustice knew precious few boundaries for the Vitae Alliance. “I’m from the Ixchel. A bit further off than your mountains.”

The Ixchel wilds, particularly the Veran woods that were his home, were significantly more untamed than the falwood. For him, this stretch of forest seemed more like a park than the dangerous lands of mother nature. He had yet to see a single tree that held the desire to eat people. “You’re right enough about the size. Large enough even that one can get lost just trying to find my home. Still I think we're about as close to neighbors as you can get.”

Arbane Thesalor