70 Ash, 122
The strange darkness, the eclipse, while worrisome in the unexpected and lasting nature it possessed, did not seem to be doing any harm to man, plant or beast. At least, none that anyone had yet detected. Torin had continued his study under Starfall's grandmaster runesmith, and Timon had continued splitting his time between having education conversations with the town's merchants and practicing his burgeoning skills with the blade with the brothers Leukos. Torin sometimes wondered if his apprentice's martially skills would surpass his own, but it wasn't an unpleasant thought. Having someone who reacted to boyhood, even in its later stages, with enthusiasm towards opportunity was nice; it encouraged Torin to remember that the world was still full of possibility that he himself might still reach for when he chose.
The fact that runic magic stopped working whenever the shadow of the eclipse fell over an area was a bit uncomfortable, but not a major hindrance to a runesmith who had grown up in the craft without the aid of the rune of semblance. Falling back into the habit of using aetherglass was like stepping into a familiar pond from your childhood and remembering how to swim. The most uncomfortable part of the shadow, for Torin, was that he could not longer sense the life force of all the lives, human and otherwise, surrounding him. He'd grown so used to the rhythms of living things being just a part of his mind over the year since he'd gotten his rune that being without it was, quite literally, like losing a sense. It ached and prodded at his mind like having his nose or ears completely blocked would have. It was annoying, but not worth stopping his lessons over.
When he had heard that groups of soldiers and volunteers were being gathered to go out into the farms that supported the town to check that the families were not being harmed by the strange darkness Torin had decided to offer his service as a way to thank his patron's for their continuous support and aid. When Timon had heard that Kaus and Torin were intended to visit two of the smaller farms together with a couple of soldiers he'd insisted on going too. Torin had been leery at first but, as the boy reminded him repeatedly, no one was being hurt, and he wanted to see the countryside. Torin had gone on several hikes alone, or with only Huntress, and had indeed found the area surrounding Starfall to be as harmless as any wild play. Timon also mentioned that he had more training in protecting himself than most peasants who lived at the farms, which was a point Torin could not disagree with.
So it was that, come the morning of the 70th, he found himself meeting his apprentice and Kaus in the courtyard of the keep where they would gather before setting off. He had a pack that contained basic survival gear as well as medical supplies should they be needed. They'd been given enough food to last several days and the smith also chose to bring along a polearm, just in case. One never knew if the Frost level of cold in the mountains might drive predictors down seeking prey, or men to desperation to seek the same. He also carried the Illumite lamp he'd taken with him from home to show Starfalls' runesmith. Considering that darkness was inevitable until the eclipse lifted it seemed like a wise choice. Timon had his runeforged dagger on one hip and a sword Torin hadn't seen him with before on the other. The weapon might be a gift from the Leukos' but was most likely a loan, as was his own weapon.
While the light persisted the small group, now including two soldiers who had introduced themselves but let Kaus take the lead, set out beyond the protective walls.
The strange darkness, the eclipse, while worrisome in the unexpected and lasting nature it possessed, did not seem to be doing any harm to man, plant or beast. At least, none that anyone had yet detected. Torin had continued his study under Starfall's grandmaster runesmith, and Timon had continued splitting his time between having education conversations with the town's merchants and practicing his burgeoning skills with the blade with the brothers Leukos. Torin sometimes wondered if his apprentice's martially skills would surpass his own, but it wasn't an unpleasant thought. Having someone who reacted to boyhood, even in its later stages, with enthusiasm towards opportunity was nice; it encouraged Torin to remember that the world was still full of possibility that he himself might still reach for when he chose.
The fact that runic magic stopped working whenever the shadow of the eclipse fell over an area was a bit uncomfortable, but not a major hindrance to a runesmith who had grown up in the craft without the aid of the rune of semblance. Falling back into the habit of using aetherglass was like stepping into a familiar pond from your childhood and remembering how to swim. The most uncomfortable part of the shadow, for Torin, was that he could not longer sense the life force of all the lives, human and otherwise, surrounding him. He'd grown so used to the rhythms of living things being just a part of his mind over the year since he'd gotten his rune that being without it was, quite literally, like losing a sense. It ached and prodded at his mind like having his nose or ears completely blocked would have. It was annoying, but not worth stopping his lessons over.
When he had heard that groups of soldiers and volunteers were being gathered to go out into the farms that supported the town to check that the families were not being harmed by the strange darkness Torin had decided to offer his service as a way to thank his patron's for their continuous support and aid. When Timon had heard that Kaus and Torin were intended to visit two of the smaller farms together with a couple of soldiers he'd insisted on going too. Torin had been leery at first but, as the boy reminded him repeatedly, no one was being hurt, and he wanted to see the countryside. Torin had gone on several hikes alone, or with only Huntress, and had indeed found the area surrounding Starfall to be as harmless as any wild play. Timon also mentioned that he had more training in protecting himself than most peasants who lived at the farms, which was a point Torin could not disagree with.
So it was that, come the morning of the 70th, he found himself meeting his apprentice and Kaus in the courtyard of the keep where they would gather before setting off. He had a pack that contained basic survival gear as well as medical supplies should they be needed. They'd been given enough food to last several days and the smith also chose to bring along a polearm, just in case. One never knew if the Frost level of cold in the mountains might drive predictors down seeking prey, or men to desperation to seek the same. He also carried the Illumite lamp he'd taken with him from home to show Starfalls' runesmith. Considering that darkness was inevitable until the eclipse lifted it seemed like a wise choice. Timon had his runeforged dagger on one hip and a sword Torin hadn't seen him with before on the other. The weapon might be a gift from the Leukos' but was most likely a loan, as was his own weapon.
While the light persisted the small group, now including two soldiers who had introduced themselves but let Kaus take the lead, set out beyond the protective walls.
