Back At The Ranch

Summary: The Mists have lifted, Alexandria returns to it's rightful place in the world, but not its rightful time. What happens when a character who has lived for the past five years outside of the mists, meets characters who have spent the last few weeks in Alexandria?

Characters: Fiaol, Travern, Karl, Colrick, Azreal

Time: Evening

Where: Not far outside of Alexandria.

Colrick is still uncertain as to the aftermath of the prior day's events, but his eagerness to stretch his legs is greater than any apprehension. "It's all... as I remember it." he muses, partly to himself in assurance, as he glances around at the surroundings. Still, his rifle is held in his hands rather than slung.

Travern rides cheerfully, having ridden a few circles around the small party to work off some excess energy before settling into a proper bit of scouting. Fully armored and shield in hand, the young man is really for potential trouble, but with helmet off and weapons sheathed, isn't really expecting anything. "Well, can't say as I really remember any of it. Usually ride out the other direction, but nothing looks like it's infested with giant tentacles. Well, don't think it does.... what would something like that look like?"

The time spent trapped within the city had strained even Karl's usually jovial nature; he's relaxed quite a bit once he got out of the city and somewhere with trees, the hunter occasionally reaching out to trail a hand over some bark or pausing to check the grass and earth for signs of the passage of game. "There're animals out here," he notes, straightening, "Seems like everything's fairly normal..."

"Animals lacking giant tentacle infestations?" Colrick asks in clarification, though with an amused grin as he seems to be a bit less worried now. The rifle bounces in his grip, no longer held tight and readied, as he turns a full circle to take in the entire view. "I don't want to jinx this, but I hope this is all over."

The evening is cold, wet, and snow falls drawing a white blanket across the surface of the ground, hiding beneath the grey-black sky overhead. There is a slightly brighter area of grey, where the moon must surely be.

In a clearing made by an ancient tree having fallen over, a cloaked figure steps into the barely there light and looks up, frowning. "I hate clouds... I do not like not seeing the sky," she murmurs to herself, giving a shake of her head, before returning to a trot once more, padding along through the silent forest ... looking. The figure comes to some invisible barrier... or rather there had been a barrier, and she eases herself forward a bit. Not daring to come completely out of the trees right now, the young pulls back her hood exposing red hair and green eyes as she knees, running a gloved hand across the ground, brushing away snow and looking at the hibernating earth beneath. "Are they really gone?" she murmurs softly to herself, before looking up. There are voices, and they are drawing near. Frowning, a gloved hand, with fore and middle finger bare, plucks an arrow from a quiver, while the other gloved hand draws a bow, before the young woman blends back into the shadows.

Travern shrugs lightly and nods, peering around absently as well. "Eh. Sorceress invasions, foreign occupation, flying cities, walls of Mist. Figure around here, if it isn't one thing, it's another. Heh, sorta why I like this place; heck of a lot more interesting them back home!"

"Your obsession with tentacles disturbs me," Karl observes rather wryly as he pushes himself up from the crouch where he'd been examining some animal tracks in the snow that rests lightly like a blanket here and there. The feather that protrudes from his hat and usually bounces freely is heavy from the wet, dangling down behind its edge like a canine's tail drooping in defeat. As he moves to catch up from the few strides ahead that the others have made, he adjusts the strap that holds the buckler upon his arm, his head shaking, "It seems like we're back in the world, at the very least. The priests spoke true."

Colrick slings his rifle over his shoulder now, and takes a moment to rub his hands together to get some warmth into them. "Mmm-hmmm." he murmurs in reply, before blowing at his hands and rubbing them some more. "I need new gloves. My last pair are frozen in some muddy hole in Sendor." he adds, before stuffing his hands underneath his cloak to keep them warm.

There is a particular word that catches Fiaol's attention, if she were an elf, long ears would have twitched in interest, no doubt. Leaning closer against the tree, the young red-head strains herself, trying to hear more. "Sendor..." she murmurs softly to herself.

GAME: Travern rolls perception: (4)+5: 9 GAME: Karl rolls Perception: (13)+6: 19 GAME: Colrick rolls perception: (10)+5: 15

Travern glances around again, and shrugs, nodding. "Aye, still have some gear have yet to replace myself..... though most was just confiscated... not like I was going to blow up anything in the city..." he mutters and pouts.

GAME: Fiaol rolls stealth: (13)+4: 17

"Well, I..." Karl stops dead, then, his head canting a little to one side as he looks over in the direction that Fiaol's hiding against a tree, one hand lifting palm out for silence and pause. After a moment, he murmurs more hushed, "Did you hear that?"

"N-" Colrick begins casually, but then his wartime experience kicks in and he drops down low to a crouch and shuffles a few steps over to a felled log so he's less exposed. "No, what is it?" he whispers over to Karl, one hand reaching up to the strap for his rifle.

Emerald eyes widen. Bloody Hunt! Exhaling slowly, Fiaol closes her eyes, concentrating for a moment even as she slowly knocks an arrow and offers a wordless prayer that she won't need it.

Travern freezes, well aware he's noisy when he moves. ".........hear what?" The only motion being the flicking ear of his mount.

"I don't know," Karl murmurs, reaching down to draw the pistol at his hip, steadily gazing at the tree he thinks he heard something near. Louder, he calls out, "Is there anyone out there? Show yourselves!"

Green eyes open again, sparks of divine light flickering in them. Fiaol frowns in thought at something, then shifts, to get a limited, but the best, view of the group. There is a long pause, the red-headed woman seeming to wait for something.

The sounds of boots crunching on the snow precedes the red-headed archer as she rounds her way from behind a tree and into the open. Her bow is held, but the knocked arrow is pointed at the ground. The woman looks ... hard, harder than her apparent young age, as she shifts her jaw faintly, those green eyes falling on one figure, then another, then another. "Where are you from? I have not seen you in this forest before," she speaks slowly, as if unused to speaking often.

"Alexandria." Colrick replies, raising his voice to call out to her, as he slowly stands back up from his crouch. The hand slides back down to his side, leaving the rifle slung for now. "What is /your/ business here, so close to the city?" he asks, though the emphasis on the word is more curiosity than accusation.

Travern starts a moment, but relaxes again upon seeing the speaker. "Aye, well, don't come into the forrest often." He peers idly at the archer. "...can't say as recall seeing you either, and kinda sure I'd remember your pretty face." Given that the bow's aimed down, Karl keeps his pistol low as well, his head cocking slightly to one side as he gives her a curious once-over from where he's standing--although he relaxes a bit. She's not some sort of monster, after all. No tentacles. He says nothing, letting the others speak for now, turning a bit to check the surrounding forest for other signs of people present.

Emerald eyes narrow at Travern for a moment, the bow starting to lift before Fiaol stops herself. Is he flirting ... at a time like this? Perhaps they ARE tainted somehow, yet... Fiaol feels nothing. "I have been patrolling north of here for the past five years ... since the mists arrived, with my father.: Then the red-heads eyes look behind the group and the young woman blinks. "YOu mean ... the city is really there? Alexandria... it ... it exists?" she gasps in surprise, the bow dropping further.

Colrick reaches up to adjust his glasses as she speaks. "Of course it exists, it's somewhat hard to mi-" he replies, then pauses as his face twists into an expression of confusion. "Wait... five years? How does that even...?" he asks, not quite getting that part, it seems.

"I certainly hope..." Karl trails off, his eyes widening slightly as the girl's words sink into his head--turning to look to the others, then back to her, clearing his throat. He rubs a hand against his mouth for a moment, "Ah, ex-cuse me lass, did you say the mists arrived... five //years// ago...?"

Travern frowns, mildly confused, and sticks to the parts he does understand. "Well, yeah the city exists. I mean, if you want to get philisophical, could argue about anything existing, but city exists much as we do. Ya wanna come see? Isn't that far." He blinks, peering at Karl. "What? No they didn't. Wasn't even a month. Seemed longer, but that's just cause was boring."

Green eyes look at the group, her fingers tightening around the bowstring, the gut string creaking in annoyance against the cold. "Yes," notes Fiaol, those eyes narrowing, studying each man in the group. "The world has fallen to the Hells and back since Alexandria disappeared. People were starting to believe the city a myth," she notes, frowning. "What are you ... you would know how long time passed... wouldn't you? WHere have you been! We have /needed/ you!"

Colrick looks to be at a loss in the face of Fiaol's words, and he looks to his two companions. "I vote we take her back to the city; maybe she knows something, maybe not." he quietly suggests. "Though five years is a bit hard to swallow." he adds.

"I... yes." Karl glances to Colrick, and then he holsters his pistol; taking a step forward, he sweeps his hat off and dips into a low bow, "Karl Mattock, my dear, Hunter Extraordinare, at your service. Would you agree to come back to the city with us to try and... figure out what's going on here? From //our// point of view, it's been but a month or so."

Travern frowns thoughtfully, speaking mostly to himself. "Disjointment from the standard Prime *could* cause a chrono-disjuntion, espically if displacement occurs along the T-axis... so from Prime perspective, suppose five yeas ould have passed." He blinks, and starts again, the words starting to really sink in. "Five years? Aw crap, Mom's gonna be worried! Scratch that, Mom's gonna be *pissed*! Crap! I gotta get home!" Travern spurs his horse foreward, starting down the road and out into the country, only to suddenly haul back, wheeling around again. "Crap! I gotta get my stuff! Crap! Crapcrapcrap!" He's smart, really he is.... he just doesn't use it very well.

The bowstring is pulled and the bow raised up. "-Take- me?" asks the woman, eyebrow arching as she frowns at the group. She definitely did not like that tone, nor wording. However, when Karl speaks up, Fiaol lifts her chin as she lowers the bow. Green eyes study the sky for a moment, before she turns and glances around thoughtfully. "Hunter Extraordinare?" she asks of Karl before shaking her head with a sigh. "Not with that weapon," she drawls as the bow is slung into place and the arrow replaced in it's quiver. "I can come for a time. However ... when word starts to crawl North of the Mists retreating, the Hunter only knows what will decide to come and hunt and feast in an unexpecting city. Very well, I will go with you," she notes with a sigh. "Fia. Fiaol, Huntress of the Silver Crescent, Follower of the Beast King."

At the sudden realization and panick from his companion, Karl winces slightly--replacing the hat once more upon his head, fingers rubbing between his eyes for a moment. "If she's waited five years, she can wait... another day or so, Travern," he offers ever-so-helpfully, hand falling before he flashes a rogue's smile to the archer, "And if //you// believe that all that makes a hunter is the weapon he carries, then I question if you're worthy of //your// title as well."

At the sudden realization and panick from his companion, Karl winces slightly--replacing the hat once more upon his head, fingers rubbing between his eyes for a moment. "If she's waited five years, she can wait... another day or so, Travern," he offers ever-so-helpfully, hand falling before he flashes a rogue's smile to the archer, "And if //you// believe that all that makes a hunter is the weapon he carries, then I question if you're worthy of //your// title as well." "Ah, good; introductions without the tense standoff." Colrick muses with a faint smile. "Though maybe we could dispense with the posturing? This situation is strange and unnerving enough." he adds, before looking back to Fiaol. "Colrick Voss, formerly of the Alexandrian Army. The city gates are open, you can follow us back if you wish, though be mindful that the guards are still a bit on edge."

Travern clams himself, not panicing, but something quite close to it. "...you guys have never met my mom.... she makes dwarves cry..." he whhispers, somewhere between awe and horor. "But yeah, faster to get ready frst. Maybe take an airship.... ya think they'll have the airships traveling again? I hope so... ahw hell, I'm gonna be *so* grounded...."

Emerald eyes give Karl a sidelong glance, before Fiaol shakes her head, almost smiling. "I follow the Hunter, as he dictates to me," she notes, walking slowly towards the road. "Noisy weapons that leave me smelling of gunpowder doesn't help me on the Hunt in the forest. Though, I have seen how damaging they can be ... which does make it almost tempting. But... I am a traditionalist, I suppose." Then Fiaol turns to look at Travern, her lips still in a half-smile. "Most began to believe Alexandria never actually existed. If your mother is still near, she will likely be more happy to have you back, than wrathful enough to forbid you from leaving your home for some time."

"I've never seen a need to worry about how noisy I'm being once I //find// my prey," Karl replies with a cocky smile, turning to walk as well with an amused shake of his head - at Fiaol, or at Travern, it's hard to say. "Let's get back to the city, then, and try and work all've this out. Dare I ask what we've missed?"

Colrick hefts the rifle into a more comfortable spot on his back, mindful of the bayonet which now points upwards. "Head back, have an ale, rest on it; you're in no state to go rushing off this night." he advises Travern. "It will all work out." he adds with a smile to reassure him.

Fiaol just frowns. "Let us get into some warmth, first, before we go into a very active five years worth of a tale," notes Fiaol, shifting her jaw uncomfortably. "The war was won completely though, yes," she notes a bit stiffly, as if having had trouble finding just the right words. "You ... served with the Army?" she then asks curiously. "My brother, Dathuil Dilis served in the battle of Sendor. He wrote to us from there, that he was headed back to Alexandria for a bit ... but before more word coudl come," she notes softly.

"Then p'rhaps you can find your brother, too," suggests Karl, glancing back over his shoulder with a brow's raise, "If he was in Alexandria, then chances are he still is... it's not as if we had anywhere else to go, after all."

Colrick doesn't show any recognition at the mentioned name, but cracks a warm smile at her. "The name is not familiar to me, but there were many of us there. Though, Karl is right; I think you have a family reunion ahead of you. Surely that should lift your spirits?" he says, the cheer in his tone returning.Travern ponders a moment. "Dilis.... Dilis.... nah, don't think I met him. Was wth the Irregulars, and worked in the Resistance. Was he regular Army? Didn't have a lot of contact with them, though seemed nice enough guys."

"He joined the Myrrish Army seven years ago, well... two for you. Or there abouts," notes Fiaol with a hint of a shrug. The young woman keeps her steps light, a woodsman's daughter, there is no doubt. "We grew up in the Mythwood. Father ... chose that as his home, protecting the wood and the villages in the area," she notes softly. "I've been travelling about and hunting and fighting from the Mythwood to the mists, up in Heth's domain for a bit. I've avoided Myrridon, though. Civil wars, nasty things."

Colrick shoots a little laugh at Travern's comment about 'nice enough guys'. "Ah, good to know we had a decent reputation amongst the irregulars. Would hate to think we were bastards." he quips in amusement. "I spent the war as a sapper; doing the dirty work of dismantling enemy defenses in the middle of battle. Before that I was just a civilian advisor, helping to train them in engineering. Oh how my mentor fumed when he heard I signed up and became a soldier." he explains, chuckling at the last part. "Civil war?" he asks, his humor fading a bit at that.

Karl doesn't have any input to the military situation, apparently--he doesn't seem the military sort much in any case, although looks can be deceiving. At the last comment, though, he slows... looking over, his brow furrowing. "Civil... in Myrddion?"

Travern grins at Colrick, amused at something, but frowns as well at news of Myrddion. "....I guess the King didn't make it out okay?"

Fiaol looks at Travern. "He ... was not in Alexandria?" she asks, letting out a sigh. "May the Spider burn in her Hells," she states with a hiss.

"Wait, wait..." Karl holds up his hand, frowning, "...what's going on with Myrddion? The last I heard..." A glance back to the others, then the Huntress, "...things were - if not completely steady - not /that/ bad..."

Colrick sighs as he figures it out. "The King went missing when the mists came... so without the King, I imagine... it's the two Princes, isn't it? Did something happen to them? Or..." he asks of Fiaol.

Travern huhs. "Thought the older brother.... what's his name.... woulda been a shoe-in if the King went missing. Met him briefly in Sendor, seemed a pretty cool guy. Saw the other brother at the cerimonies, not as impressive."

Travern sighs, and spurs his horse back towards the city. "I really do need to get packed. I'll let the guards know you guys are comming, save you some trouble, and report to the Captain there. Gods, this is gonna make all kinds of trouble."

"Verin and Gavril," notes Fiaol with a shake of her head. "I don't know how, or even why, it started. Not my place to judge. I just know that it did, and they are squabbling like pre-adolecent siblings over the last piece of cake." There is a pause, before Fia glances sidelong at Karl. "Yes, my brother and I did the same when we were younger," she offers in near-deadpan. "You'll hear this soon... with Taara ascending, Charn went into upheval, as well. There is said to be a large floating fortress that Charn possesses now, Taara having focused them, rather than the tribune or whatever it was. Heth killed the Gold that ruled Dragonier, as well. Now the dragons are lost and is the land, ruled under an undead dragon. And ... well, much much more. I have never been to Alexandria proper, how much further?"

"I think all siblings did," Karl admits with a quiet chuckle of his own, trailing off for a moment and glancing off in another direction through the woods--hand lifting to stroke along the sides of his mustache in contemplation for a moment. "Gods. Do you bring any good news at all...? Or is the only bright point in the past five years //now// when we return?" He glances back to Fiaol hopefully, "Have things /only/ grown worse in the world?"

"And what's all this about the world needing us?" Colrick asks as he watches Travern disappear out of sight down the road. "Are we to expect everyone to turn to us to set things right? We just got out of one war... and now..." he trails off, then looks back to Fiaol. "Well, one thing at a time, I suppose."

"Yes, things have only gotten worse. THe only good news I have ... is that Veyshan hasn't started an Empire," Fiaol notes with a frown. "They are just ... well ... Veyshan as usual," she notes with a shake of her head.

"Are you so certain?" asks Fiaol curiously now. "Something pulled you away, and something brought you back. The how, and the why, and the /what or who/ is yet to be determined, I think. No one has passed it on to Beast King's clergy if they've figured it out," she notes with a shake of her head. "And we don't really care that much about those answers, honestly. Looking up at the gates, Fiaol frowns. "I will not be asked to hand over my bow, will I? It is a symbol of my faith," she notes to the others. "Usually that is not a problem in villages, but cities of this size... I have never been to."

"Gods, no," Karl can't help but chuckle, his shoulders shaking a little, "If they tried to disarm all've the adventurers in the city, things would get... fairly unpleasant, I think. I generally just keep my guns unloaded and my blade tied in its sheath." He does the same as Colrick, unloading the pistol - the rifle hadn't been loaded at all just yet. "And that's a terrifying thought, Huntress. I'd rather it stay where it is, though, it wasn't the most pleasant of experiences..."

Colrick nods to Karl's explanation. "Just avoiding carelessness. An accidental discharge could be very dangerous to anyone nearby." he adds, as he reslings his rifle. "And I'd rather not consider being banished for another five years. Especially if each time we return the world gets that much worse."

At the mention of the shapes in the mist, Karl slants a look over towards Fiaol. "...we saw them too. It wasn't entirely... pleasant. Some of them tried to get into the city. Fortunately not the--worst of them." He grimaces, shaking his head, "It's nowhere I'd like to go again."

Colrick shakes his head. "I didn't see them, fortuantely. Only heard of them second-hand. I spent a good part of the last week in bandages, after some dead thing in the cemetary jumped me and some others." he replies.Colrick pauses and looks at Karl, "Of course you were there too, though you came out of it a bit better than I did."

The shaking of the ground that comes with giantborn walking, catches Fiaol's attention. The woman looks at the ground, feeling the faint movement from her feet, turning around, reaching for a bow, before stopping as she sees an apparently friendly-ish figure, rather than screaming battlecries. Green eyes turn to Colrick then... "Thul's children rising from the cemetary? No, I would not have wanted to be there," she notes with a shake of her head. "The Children of Garm, I can hunt... those things..." she states with a frown. "Most unpleasant."

"If it wasn't for the Vardamans, I'd have scars," Karl admits with a grimace to Colrick's words, glancing down at his arms, "Norii saved us all in that one, I think, with those flames of hers..." At the sight of the giantborn, he brings one hand up in a greeting, calling easily, "Good eve!"

"And I'd be dead." Colrick adds to Karl. "But enough of that unpleasantness; I should retire for the night. Take care." he says, and to Fiaol he adds, "I hope you find your brother soon."

At the guardpost, getting a few looks, no doubt, considering where they came from, is a small group getting smaller. The dark-haired rifleman has been in Alexandria for a while, and the feathered hat is well remembered. The red-headed archer in browns and greens, a woodswoman, as it where. It is SHE who is getting the looks, and a few guards falter in their discipline to whisper to one another.

As Colrick heads to find some sleep, Fiaol nods to him, before turning back to Karl. "Clerics of any order are useful against scars," notes the woman with a half-smile and a shake of her head. "I should like to meet this Norii then, she sounds to be very capable." Glancing around, Fiaol purses her lips. "Where would be the best place to find lodging for the evening. I admit .... a hot bath would be nice."

As Azreal makes his way throught he gate he gets more than a look or two himself, shadow elves have become less and less popular as it were lately but the stoic rifleman simply rolls with the punches. Pulling his cap down, just a little tighter on his head he approaches Fiaol and Karl "A hot bath? You wouldnt know a good place for that by chance?" the tall elf says with a weak smile. "I'm not entirely certain," Karl admits, glancing after Colrick's departure before looking back to Fiaol, "The inns are a little... full, after all there were more people staying in town than they'd expected, but I'm sure you could find somewhere. I'd suggest--" Then the elf approaches with a similar question, and he exhales a chuckle, "--check the Adventurer's Quarter, there's probably somewhere there. That's where I found a room."

Emerald eyes widen, and Fiaol staggers several steps backwards, reaching for her bow. "Mulridden!" she exclaims, looking ready to attack, except for the fact that no one else is. Glancing left, then right, Fiaol eyes Azrael warily, then looks at Karl, then at Azrael again. "How... ... " she states before shaking her head. "This is ... strange to me," she notes. "Perhaps ... there is a temple of Eluna here? The Hunter's Sister usually takes his clergy in."

Azreal smiles weakly at holds up his hand "I am sorry for causing you distress, I am well aware of what my kind have done and still do. I have found a different calling however, as a guardian of Serriel." the shadow elf holds up his silver holy symbol. "If there is any way for me to prove my sincerity by all means name it." At the brief tension, Karl glances between the pair--tensing up--and then he relaxes slightly, shaking his head. "It... yes," he offers, "Go over the highbridge, take a left and you'll reach the Temple Plaza. You can't miss it, it's-- quite the sight."

Fiaol considers for a moment, then closes her eyes and offers a quick prayer. When she opens them again, she looks at Azreal, before she nods. "I have seen several who are dedicated to the Guiding Star. I take it you were not within the Mists, yourself?" she asks curiously. "After all, it is only recently that the Maiden of Battles has come to prominence." Emerald gaze turns to Karl, nodding. "Okay... so ... highbridge... that is to the south?" she asks, glancing around. "THen to the left. Yes... I think I can find that, thank you, friend."

Azreal bows his head "Indeed this is my first visit to the city and hope to spread some good faith. I do hear rumor however... that.. the mists caused some unusual events within the city? If you would be so kind to explain what has indeed happened... I gladly wish to know what is truth and gossip." "I can show you the way," Karl offers the pair--allowing with an easy lift of his chin towards the shadow elf, "Karl Mattock. I'm not sure who Serriel is, but hey, I'm not exactly a scholar of the Gods. Welcome to Alexandria. We're all a little confused right now."

Fiaol peers at the dark elf for a long moment. "Alexandria was missing for five years. The Mists came, Taara tried to take over the world, but took over the gods of the Dark, at the very least, and then five years later the mists receeded and Alexandria has returned. There is /MUCH/ amiss here. And much that is confusing," she notes with a bow of her head."

Azreal nods "I see. I am Azreal Of..." he pauses for a moment "... Just Azreal these days actually. A pleasure to meet you. Serriel is guardian of all civilization and the maiden of battle. I am here to see what rumors are true and help sort out any confusion if possible. THe sooner a grand city like this returns to its rightfull place and working the better."

"That'll be up to better man than I," Karl admits in wry tones, "I was just visiting the city when everything... well... happened, so I'm not the best tour guide or representative myself. I'm from Rosalia, actually. I suppose I should send word to my father now that we've returned, once everything is... sorted out."

Fiaol considers, then nods. "There will likely be many doing such, so I would suggest organizing messages by area and region, then collectively send them, rather than scrambling for courtiers all at once," notes the huntress. Then she looks at Azrael again for a moment, before turning to Karl. "Would you lead the way to the temples, please?"