Open Chronicles The Run

[Ashling Delaney]

Fingers laced around the satchel when Keldorn pushed it back towards her, a nod of thanks given before she took it and tied it to the belt around her waist. Keldorn didn’t seem the type to take no for an answer otherwise she’d have insisted on him taking it back. When you come from nothing, you expect nothing. You must earn every little crumb, earn the chance to be out in the sun so that it might warm you from the outside in before darkness took it’s place.

She didn’t know how to handle the kindness that was being bestowed to her from not only Keldorn but Selene as well. Even Juancho seemed friendly enough, all of which she’d truly believed had been sent to hunt to find her. Granted, that could still be the case but would any truly go to such great lengths to do so? Likely not.

Lips curled softly into a smile as Selene responded to her regarding her not being able to take the pendant and watched as the woman pressed it into her hand, the pendant cool upon warm flesh.. Fingers curled around it “Thank you, I wish I had something just as beautiful to offer you in its place.” The pendant had found it’s new home around her neck while she spoke to Selene.

She watched silently as Selene showed what it was they needed to do for this hearth spell. The problem was, if one had to be sure of where they wanted to go then it likely wouldn’t work for her. She had no idea where she wanted or more, needed to go. She watched the branch burst into the blue flame and felt mesmerized by it and then it was gone, only to reappear some ways away. Was it a beacon of sorts, to show the way to the desired location?

Nervously Ashling began to follow in Selen’s footsteps, procuring a yew branch and finding an area that she could make her own circle in. Holding the branch up as Selene had, her voice rang out “I call upon Sigale of the Long Branch, who walks this land. Grant me passage through your princely halls. One truth for one true path." She figured it best if she started it just as Selene had, for she didn’t know any other way to call upon whatever it was that made this spell possible. She felt the wind pick up, just as it had for Selene and closed her eyes. She could feel the magic in the air. “ Show me…” she paused.. “Show me where it is safe..Where I'll be safe” was that good enough? Teals opened just in time to watch her branch burst into that same blue flame before ash fell from her hands. She searched for a new flame but couldn’t see it anywhere? “Perhaps I did it wrong” her voice soft as she looked to Selene “ Thank you anyway, for all your help “ or perhaps she just couldn’t see the flame? Was it somewhere out of her view?

---

Juancho Ricco Keldorn Selene

 

[Juancho Ricco]

Juancho was able to sense the other man, Keldorn’s distrust of him. But he couldn’t blame them, he was naturally a pretty shady guy and he knew it, even if he typically tried to not present as such. He then nodded to Selenes words as she mentioned giving a demonstration.

Listening intently as she explained, Juancho continued to nod along, taking note of what was happening. But then she gave the truth and the spell worked. The realization of what he may need to do made him recoil some. He was a rapscallion with much to hide, and he didn’t want to confess that he was traveling to The Spine to defraud hardworking dwarves of their coin.

Then he watched as the ash haired woman stepped into the circle to work the spell herself. She asked her question, a question that he believed revealed the truth about herself. Which seemed to be enough to activate the magic. However, the guiding flame seemed to vanish just as instantly. “How peculiar…” Junacho said out loud after she wondered if she did it wrong. Juancho shook his head. “Perhaps it answered your question in a not so obvious manner. Maybe the spell has nowhere to guide you since you're currently in no danger, and that in the presence of Selene or Keldron here you’re safe.” It could be that what she was looking for wasn't a place but a person that could keep her safe. Junacho excluded himself from the equation, knowing that he was definitely shady and likely couldn’t offer much in the way of safety be believed. But maybe the spirits thought differently. “But that’s just my initial reading of it.”

Stepping back some over to the yew tree Juancho pulled out a short, rustic, hardly looking seax blade and severed a small branch for himself. To use whenever he may step himself into the circle.

Ashling Delaney | Selene | Keldorn

 

[Keldorn]

Keldorn would nod in understanding to Selene's answer. His arms would cross as he watched Selene demonstrate, smirking at her reasoning for her destination. Then it was Ashlings turn and she would perform the ritual.

The magic would flicker, then dim, seemingly doing nothing. Juancho offered up his opinion on what that meant, it was sound reasoning, though Keldorn didn't like half of it.

As Juancho gathered his yew branch, the magic flickered from Ashling once again, this time creating a pulsing path to the road before it diminished at Vekna's side. Keldorn watched in silence as a path he didn't choose was set for him.

"Fuck." He mused to himself.

Selene | Ashling Delaney | Juancho Ricco