fabledoath

[fabledoath]

Clair seems as spirited as ever, at least... That's good. Ashe didn't know Clair that well at all, but he thinks, it's neat that instead of being overly concerned about her looks or her clothes, she isn't giving up. Thus, how could he throw in the towel while all his classmates persevered? Of course not!

"Yeah... Even if it may take a while, I'm sure we can both push through! And I'm learning that if I stay low, it's less likely that I'll lose my footing and fall down the hill, than if I just ran up it." The mere thought of slipping in the mud and falling all the way down to start again is enough to make him wince a little. Especially if it were to happen near the end of the climb. He instinctively digs his elbows more into the mud.

"It does mean a bit of trouble if someone's in the way... Ah, not that I mean you're in the way, of course! I just have to... move a little."

Ashe starts shuffling sideways, just so he's not literally at Clair's soles, and he can then, carefully, keep elbowing onward so she doesn't have to be looking over her shoulder to see him, now on par with her.

"That's better... But, are you sure you don't need anything? It would be no issue if you held onto me, or... I don't know, anything at all. I don't think there is any shame in asking a classmate for help."

King of the Hill: Sopping Wet Edition

[fabledoath]

The fact that people managed to tame wyverns, let alone ride them almost casually was nothing to sneeze at. Ashe could hardly believe he was on one still! Unlike horses, these mounts were not typically employed by farmers and other civilians, due to a multitude of factors. So now, it really was almost like he was a real knight already...

But he really had a long road ahead yet. Even if he was flying, he shouldn't get his head lost in the clouds. (Hah!)

Back to Minerva!

"Regardless of if I think so... I need to, don't I? So, I will. I will do my best. At the very least, I can count on my wyvern not to fall out of control on its own."

Holding the reins again, an gentle tap of his foot and it started moving again. At a good enough pace for Minerva to follow, in case the wyvern started wandering off.

But then, he realized he forgot a critical question.

"Uhhhh... O-Oh, goodness. How do I steer again?" Ashe raised his voice, as they started putting distance between themselves and the instructor.

How Not to Train Your Dragon

[fabledoath]

It was evident to those with any sense that, among Garreg Mach's student body, there were a few obvious heavy hitters who worked comfortably solo. The Blue Lions House's leader, for example. It's not like they wouldn't benefit from team play, as that might cover their weaknesses, but they were strong and skilled enough to hold their own even when outnumbered. In a exercise such as this one, where it's every person for themselves instead of teams, these strong players had the focus on them, no doubt.

Ashe was... not like that. Far from it. If someone got up in his face, the match was practically over. And he couldn't even think of exposing himself to make the first move on the flag.

Slim as his chances were, it didn't mean he was giving up, though. He'd just have to work around his weaknesses, somehow.

And so, the plan was formulated: find the flag while it's unclaimed and hide near it, or find whoever was carrying it. Then, follow the bearer and wait for an opportunity to approach.

Yet, after a good few hours... Well, he's definitely certain he's not getting to it first, that he can tell you for free. Keeping a low profile, Ashe had scoured most of the area, but he doesn't even know if he passed the flag's original home already, because it was long gone by then. And unfortunately, the bearer isn't making a big show of it, while people are dropping like flies... Must be concealed just as he is. This'll be a problem. But again, he can't give up. He can't.

Still hidden in some trees at a foothill, Ashe ponders his options, before... some noise? A fight? If it's a fight, it must've lasted less than a second. By the time he turns his head, there's a student rolling down the hill, and hit a tree. It's not that bad, they'll be fine. But, that means...

Ashe's eyes backtrack the other student's descent, to catch a glimpse of a bright purple head before it vanishes back into cover. He understands what he must do, despite being at heavy disadvantage. Though, if he is to close in, he'll need a decoy to do so undetected. The boy looks around and picks up a couple of small rocks from the ground, into his pocket. Then, he reels back and throws one of them into the trees up on top of the hill, trying to make a sonorous diversion before he steps out and runs in with all his energy. Upward and onward!

her mother was a mudder

[fabledoath]

Activity Tracking: Nov. 2024

New Threads:

King of the Hill: Sopping Wet Edition

This Will Affect The Rat Population

Continued Threads:

Ethically Questionable

Skill points earned:

General Activity point (not allocated)

Skill point total: 27 Unallocated points: 9

New Classes Accessed:

N/A

Classes Mastered:

N/A

[fabledoath]

Starter for @clairatgarregmach

From beyond the classroom windows comes a sudden, relentless deluge, and from within, a chorus of cheers. Surely this means your outdoor practice will be cancelled today! Even as your instructor marches you all outside and across a waterlogged field, you all hold tightly to this conviction. A field trip in the rain is better than training in the rain, after all, but all confidence shatters the moment he brings you to a stop at the foot of a hill. “You will go take that summit, and you will not let anyone else have it,” he says, pointing to its flag-topped crest. Immediately, groans erupt among your party, each of you cold and soaked to the bone. Yet while some grouse about the “extreme” rule that disallows weapons and the rain itself, others are taking advantage of your inertia and already elbowing their way up the slope. Your instructor, seemingly unbothered by the rain, makes it clear: join them, or accept your Fail for the class.

The flagpole stands tall, but as for the flag itself... Instead of proudly and fearlessly waving in the wind, the fabric droops, soaked and darkened by rain. It barely serves its purpose as a landmark more than the pole alone would, really.

Yet, as gloomy as the sight may be, all eyes are still on it. The goal.

"It's not that far... Yeah, it'll be fine..."

Ashe tries to encourage himself, even though he's starting knee deep in a puddle. It's not the mud and dirt bothering him, he's dealt with worse - but even for a person who's used to the Faerghus climate, being drenched makes a big difference. The damp, cold clothes stick to his skin, with the hood he wears providing some slight protection.

But he has to make it. The weather is no excuse in the real world, after all.

Thankfully, at first it's not too bad. Ashe is at the back line, so despite the fact that the hill's slope starts becoming more and more vertical, and most everyone starts slowing down, he doesn't have to worry about holding anyone up by blocking the way.

On the contrary, he finds himself on the other end of that exchange, when he accidentally crawls face first into a fellow student's boots. Someone who's... stopped?

Somebody else might have just scooted to the side and past her, but not Ashe. He lifts his head and torso up a bit, as he speaks up.

"Hey? Is everything alright, or ...?"

King of the Hill: Sopping Wet Edition

[fabledoath]

Starter for @blaiddllodi

The tunnels of Abyss are full of secrets by their nature, but there are some which even its own residents are unaware of. One such secret, hidden behind a convincing wall of fake stone, reveals itself when someone tumbles right through and dispels the illusion. Others who come looking for them a short time later find only a huge, gilded archway at the end of the newly exposed tunnel. It pulses with magic, aglow with a swirling curtain of bright blues and dark greens, but there is no sign of another person anywhere. Word of this ‘Outrealm Gate’, as those in-the-know call it, spreads fast… and the outrage over what it could invite spreads even faster. Though nothing has come out of the gate, a mob of men is still set to destroy it first thing in the morning, but in the meantime, its mystery beckons you. Are you worried about the person who disappeared? Or do you simply fancy taking a peek into whatever world is supposedly on the other side, even if there’s no guarantee it’ll be a pleasant one?

Ashe examines the tunnel's walls, fingers gently tracing along it. It's not like the prospect of a hidden passage should be that unthinkable - Abyss itself was just one whole hidden world to those on the surface to begin with, it made sense that there would be secrets within that hadn't yet been brought to light. And yet, it's still a bit disquieting. What if there are traps that haven't been disabled by its denizens yet? What if there are other fake walls all around them, and Ashe is none the wiser? It might be a tad irrational to worry about every possibility, but...

Well, it happened to someone else. It could happen to him.

Regardless, Ashe has not forgotten his main goal here. Ashe continues down the tunnel, a faint buzzing bouncing off of the walls and pulsating within his ears. And at last, he arrives before The gate. Normally, his focus would be entirely on it, its almost entrancing glow and mystique... But something else calls for his attention. His classmate who is already standing a few feet away from it.

"Ah, Your Highness! You came here too? I suppose word of it got around fast..."

Almost too fast. No wonder people already want to dismantle it - it's only a matter of time before more curious souls come about, and who knows what could happen then.. But Ashe isn't here to do that.

This Will Affect The Rat Population

[fabledoath]

For a moment, Ashe could swear he saw the goddess herself, dancing among the stars... But no, no, he's just dizzy, really. His vision flickers in and out with each blink, as he reels back to reality - Dorothea, who just managed to yank him behind cover, her eyes scanning his face, reddened by the forceful impact. But there's barely enough time to process any of her words before they have to seek cover again. Thankfully, the second time Ashe's consciousness is actually here, so he can follow, getting down and practically skittering behind the desk. Seems he's truly back to his senses, at least...

Although there's no doubt, this spot won't be safe for long either.

"T-Thank you, Dorothea... I think I'm better now, are you-?"

They are once more interrupted, but this time it's not their hiding spot that's busted. The maddened assailant got his hands on someone else, and while they cannot see who or how from their current position (despite Ashe's brief attempt at peeking over the desk, it's just too chaotic now) the urgency of the situation is made clear by the cries of struggle.

"We can't keep hiding... there's got to be something we can do."

Ethically Questionable

[fabledoath]

Activity Tracking: Oct. 2024

New Threads:

Ethically Questionable

Continued Threads:

How Not To Train Your Dragon

Thou Who Seeketh the Fountain of Youth

Skill points earned:

General Activity point (not allocated)

Skill point total: 26 Unallocated points: 8

New Classes Accessed:

N/A

Classes Mastered:

N/A

[fabledoath]

Ashe's legs tensed in an almost instinctive manner as Minerva mentioned them. Yeah... She was on the money. His legs had been hanging entirely loose until this very moment. And that momentary press was enough for the wyvern to react, stumbling back a little and making a noise in discomfort. Shoot! He let go just as fast and saved the situation, a possible disaster turned into just a close call. His inexperience was really shining through. Note, be more attentive...

"O-Oops! Sorry! Sorry...! Okay, easy, easy..."

Part of him wanted to see if there was a way he could calm it down with... pets, or something? But that'd be reckless, so he held off, instead holding tight onto the reins without pulling. The student just waited a few more seconds to see if it calmed down. Steady... Steady...

Goddess, it must be hard to watch for a veteran.

"I'll get it right this time! Let's try this again... Like... this?"

This time though, he succeeded! Just a light squeeze, a pull, and sudden movement, but this time, it was right. It's always hard the first time, feeling like your saddle is moving under you without you, but that aside, the wyvern didn't shake him off. Wide, strong wings extended, flapping slowly but with surprising strength, lifting dust clouds below them.

They were in the air.

Green eyes opened wide, looking down. Good thing he wasn't afraid of heights. Quite the opposite. It was incredible!

"Wow... So this is how it feels!"

Don't neglect the teacher, of course! He turned his gaze to her with a smile.

"This is incredible! And you do this every day??"

How Not to Train Your Dragon

[fabledoath]

"O-Oh?"

Ashe hadn't figured he looked that tired. His hand goes up to his cheek in surprise. If only he had a mirror to check... But it makes sense. He did lose a bunch of sleep! Mareeta was right - as should be expected from one of their teachers.

"Hahah, you're probably right. I imagine I'm not as rested as I should be, but..."

There's no way that'll be a roadblock, right? Surely there's something...

"Wouldn't it be simplest to give a casual excuse? Say I had nightmares or something like that? Or that I fell off the bed and hit my head, or... something or other. People can be sleepless for any reason, it shouldn't be *that* suspicious so long as it doesn't happen again... right?"

Perhaps a bit naive, true. But being on edge about it or trying to conceal it might be more suspicious than the alternative.

Thou Who Seeketh the Fountain of Youth

[fabledoath]

Starter for @encantresse

Among the most recent shipment of new staves for the monastery were a few suspicious items of unknown origin that no one here recalls ordering. Worse still, the last three or four attempts to figure out how to use them have all resulted in random bursts of violence, including one full-blown fistfight and one spontaneous chair-throwing competition. That’s right - the time has come for the Academy to learn the power of the Berserk staff, whether they are ready or not! Your assistance is invaluable, be it in providing information about this sinister item or breaking up the next fight that ensues as the terrified monks attempt to master its power. [Grants Faith +1]

Magic was neverAshe's forte. Academics as a whole weren't, really - an affinity for reading stories doesn't necessarily translate to all sorts of book smarts. Not to mention he got started reading as a whole later than many of his peers...

But that doesn't mean he doesn't want to, and it also doesn't mean he's entirely useless here. He'd want to think as much, at least. If he is in fact useless, it'll sort of be his fault. Because he signed up to help with this mission by his own insistence. So he really can't afford to hold anyone back! Not that he doesn't give it his all in all the other cases already, anyway.

So, even if he can't exactly use the staves himself, he's at least here to keep the peace. From what he's heard, it's already gotten bad before, so he best be on his-

Jinxed.

A loud noise calls for his attention, near where the magic users were examining the staves. Someone's fallen over a desk for a moment, but only a moment. Even then, it's loud enough for all eyes to turn towards the source. After steadying their footing, they rise, their eyes bloodshot. They quickly turn towards the nearest person - that being, a student from the eagles, and as they lunge with their hands...

"Dorothea! Watch out!!"

The next moment, Ashe's feet move almost on their own, but it's no staff guiding these. He now stands between Dorothea and the raging student, taking the brunt of the punch on his freckled face. It's enough to make him stumble, back onto the girl he was shielding.

Ethically Questionable

[fabledoath]

Activity Tracking: Sep. 2024

New Threads:

N/A

Continued Threads:

How Not To Train Your Dragon

Destination: Flavortown

Thou Who Seeketh the Fountain of Youth

Skill points earned:

General Activity point (not allocated)

Skill point total: 25 Unallocated points: 7

New Classes Accessed:

N/A

Classes Mastered:

N/A

[fabledoath]

Eager to learn, Ashe kept his ears open and his eyes peeled to Minerva's instructions. The moment her hands grasped around her reins, he followed her motion - didn't seem like any special hold... He may have been just a bit nervous about messing up some seemingly inconsequential detail. But no, as she soon explained, the trick to it was the pull, apparently...?

"Of course! Let's see..."

The student didn't have the relaxed confidence Minerva boasted of, but it wasn't that bad. Ashe may be inexperienced, but he wasn't a wreck, and he could be quite calm when following instructions. So Ashe slowly continued imitating Minerva, then turning his gaze towards the wyvern to measure its reaction...

But, surprisingly, there wasn't... Much of a reaction, at all. It looked back at him briefly, or at least he thought that was what happened, and then it kept still.

"Huh...? It's... not going. But it's still not trying to shake me off. Maybe it just doesn't feel like it?" The lion's eyes went back to the instructor, for guidance.

How Not to Train Your Dragon

[fabledoath]

Maybe it's just because Forde seemed so... unassuming, but it was easy to forget that he was already a renown war hero himself. A song about him though? Goddess, that's just too cool! It does make Ashe feel a bit inadequate, like it was wrong for him to be a student at the same time as Forde...

But he also knows that, in fairness, the other is also older than him. Who knows where Ashe would be in over half a decade? He certainly has no idea. Obviously he wouldn't wish for a war or anything, but maybe he could be a knight of his own right too!

So, those ridiculous thoughts are shoved into the back of his mind, as he himself decides it should only be fuel to do better. Though there is a twinkle of fascination in his eyes at Forde.

A couple quick blinks as the question is directed at him, suddenly.

"Ah? Hmm, not yet..." Clearly all too distracted by Forde's little story, thankfully he can drink more soup now that it's cooled down a bit, and he does.

"Maybe a meat dish? Even if it's all about the harvest, I'm sure the farmers are also putting cattle to good use. I don't imagine all the food they're offering has no meat at all... Like right there! That looks like skewers! Of course, the most essential street food." His eyes catch sight of them a few stands down from the one they're by, and he already starts leading the way, being careful about what remains of the soup still.

Destination: Flavortown

[fabledoath]

Mareeta's concerns are ones Ashe shares. There was a lot of estate to search, and not exactly a lot of them. But even if there's more doubt in his heart than in hers, one thing stands true:

Regardless of if it's going to go well or not, they have to give it a try. Their best try. So they may as well go with the mindset that they'll succeed.

"Alright!" Ashe gives a quick nod, seeming reinvigorated! "There shouldn't be many servants walking around either at that hour, so it'll only be the guards. They'll probably have a lantern or another source of light too, so they should be easy enough to see coming or hide... It might take us more than one night to find something, but I'm at least fairly confident we're not getting caught."

A deep breath. Hooooh.

"Let's just act normal for the rest of the day, and... If I find out anything in passing, I'll tell you after dinner?"

Who knew that this little mission was going to become a full on espionage operation? May be good experience at least, he tells himself.

Thou Who Seeketh the Fountain of Youth

[fabledoath]

Activity Tracking: Aug. 2024

Hiatus Period

[fabledoath]

Activity Tracking: July 2024

New Threads:

N/A

Continued Threads:

How Not To Train Your Dragon

Destination: Flavortown

Thou Who Seeketh the Fountain of Youth

Skill points earned:

General Activity point (not allocated)

Skill point total: 24 Unallocated points: 6

New Classes Accessed:

N/A

Classes Mastered:

N/A