The Work Starts

[Baudric]

Soothing songs of nature's voice glowed through the trees, only disrupted by the sounds of their own conversation and breathing. His mind stayed focused on the things Kaus spoke of, His sister and brother, and Starfall itself. Honestly, he was grateful to be going to see it. He couldn't remember if he had spent time there with Kala when last he was here. If he had he could not remember. It did however, sound familiar and the more Kaus spoke of it the more Baudric did in fact long to see it.

Controlled breathing for long distance hiking showed from his training with the Legion. It was obviously showing that his lungs were showing their labor beyond a simple stroll, but, being so steady could only have come from regular hikes. Indeed, Baudric had spent the past couple years traveling the roads and skies that this all felt like second nature to him.

The training he would get at their destination, on the other hand, would be far more challenging. he could tell just at a glance at the way Kaus carried himself, that the man was a master at swordsmanship. Baudric disliked weapons to begin with though knew of the necessity to have them. He would rather shield then strike. Attacking only ever reminded him of his regrets in trying to survive his trials. It would always be needed though.

"I have been learning more about who I am myself since my official liberation. Something I wish I was more brave to have accepted before. That time did make it far easier to accept this time."
A hand came up, without his conscious mind, touching the dog leather and choke chain around his neck. "The only thing I am grateful to the Imperial Legion for.. my desire to protect other. Everything else I have learned about myself has come from this life on the road. Now I just want to see what kind of life I can build here. Seek personal goals. And if not. Maybe I will return to the road."

Baudric seemed hesitant to return to the road. Seemed to dearly create a new life in this kingdom. Wanted to reclaim the threads he had already began to weave here.

[Kala Leukos]

.

Kaus noted where Baudric showed signs of strain. This was a workout for him as well; he realized that he focused so much on his flying that he neglected his legs. He would suggest a shift to accommodate that to Ceran, who would likely accept it wholeheartedly. Asallon might object, albeit in good humor. Having no wings, the elven sorcerer never had to train with the Avialae in that regard, but he wouldn't always have Indric to open portals for him, either. Kanedama complained of training in general, but he would accede. He recognized Kala's power and had bent the knee to her authority.

When Baudric spoke, Kaus paid keen attention there as well. He knew Baudric better than Baudric knew him, if only through the lens of his sister's experience, but he wanted to know him better without anyone else's experience in the way.

"You are brave," he said, pausing so speaking didn't steal too much of his breath. "By my humble estimation, in any case. Difficult things take time. Starting things is difficult, but so is seeing them through. If I woke up on the morrow and realized that everything. Everything I know. Was incorrect. I don't know that I would immediately have the bravery and will. To change everything all at once."

He paused again to breathe.

"We protect, too. And if your road doesn't lead you to the Dawnmartyr's, I am certain Kala will help you find a place. In her service. At Starfall. Somewhere you can make a life and a home. Ah..." He pulled back a branch and revealed the clearing he had been aiming for. Holding the branch back for Baudric as he might a door in civilization, he then followed him into the clearing.

The terrain was largely flat, although there were tufts of dying grass, the odd small stone, a collapsed gopher burrow, and the like. One still had to mind one's feet even if one could fly. But it gave space for tall men with wide wingspans to spar, attacking even if both of them would rather be a shield than a sword.

Kaus leapt onto a boulder near the precipice, dropping into a corbie crouch as he pulled a blade out of thin air with his rune of reaving. He wouldn't push Baudric into battle immediately; Gods knew he could use a moment to catch his breath. The Kathar's novel wings were interesting. He and Kala had even spent some of their time at the Academy studying the physics of flight and extra wings could only help fine tune flight.

They didn't speak of it outside Starfall and the security of their shared thoughts, but the twins knew their elder brother Aquilios, the next Lord of Starfall, wanted to secede from Kalzasern dominion whenever the revelation of Kala's divinity became more common knowledge. Much of what they kept secret in the far mountain fastness would just as easily be protected by the aegis of a demigoddess as the city-state that hadn't offered aid during the eclipse.

This made Kala uncomfortable, of course. She knew some Avialae might leave Kalzasi to settle in Starfall when they knew the Crystal Lady herself had awoken the divine within the young woman and Garel himself had pulled the wings out of her, imbued her with some of the qualities that had been lost since the Firstborn.

.

[Baudric]

..He was brave..

By all definitions he supposed he was. So many written examples of heroism from minor to major all said as much. The comparison could be made, and yet, Baudric only saw his actions as ones that just needed to be made. Always doing his best in all situations his life's journey would come across. At the very least doing what he thought was best.

Kaus' mental exercise to put himself in Baudric's shoes was appreciated. Whether Kaus' mental picture of his life was accurate was likely more vague than truly understood, but it was enough. Enough to know that Baudric, accepted his assessment of the Kathar.

When the conversation turned to service with the Dawnmartyrs or with Kala. Baudric felt a small slip in conviction. He felt like he owed so much to both Kala and Talon that he was uncertain where he should put his life to work for. Both were far better than it could ever be with Primarch Muller. Neither would take advantage of him for the evil the human man did. Never again would he have to worry about that. All he knew was he wanted to be the definition of safety for others. A bastion of defense. To keep the down trodden and weak protected. But he needed to know if he was at least worthy. That he was good enough.

"I should like a better tour of Starfall one day. If I went there before. . ." The pause stretched for several heartbeats before he continued. "I can no longer remember. What with how much Kala speaks of it and now yourself. I think It would be agreeable to me."

Baudric slowly shirked his coat from his shoulders. Removing the hindrances to movement to be safe for now. The chilling bite of the approaching season pricked at his skin and scales. Their soot dark grey-black contrast running down his spine on his skin darkened the fabric that feebly concealed their resting place. He was just as an impressive Orkhan as he was Avialae. His Negation rune centered in the sunburst over his heart glowed softly from beneath his shirt. The slight shift up and down of his smaller wings on his hips as he drew the sanguine blade. A claymore by a typical man's size, for his size it looked more like a Longsword. Stepped out onto the field to gain some thought of its makeup.

"Mein Licht, vertreibe die Dunkelheit, befreie meine Seele. Fliegen Sie in der Luft des Zufalls."
Whispered words floated from him as he turned to look back to Kaus. Steady blue eyes, speckled with gold, fell upon the skilled swordsman. They spoke of Baudric's desire for Kaus to not hold back. That he could learn properly. He knew he would not compare to the twin but he would not have Kaus treat him like s weak trainee. His heart was born on the field of battle in trial. Honed by combat with demons both figurative and actual. A breath exhaled, smaller wings relaxing along with the tension releasing.

"Teach me, my friend. Take your measure of my worth and lead me to grow stronger."

[Kala Leukos]

.

"We will certainly take you to Starfall," he promised. Baudric hadn't been; his recovery had taken place in Kalzasi and then he had gone back to the Imperium. At least, that was how Kala had understood it. She wasn't party to every person's path that came through Kalzasi, even the ones touched by Talon Novalys.

While Kaus didn't know a great deal of Kathalan, he did translate something older into it. Baudric had his rituals and Kaus wanted to honor that.

"Ich leuchte, ich brenne nicht.

He leapt out of his crouch, longsword held easily even is his body didn't seem to have an Avialae's strength as far as the eye could see. Dueling upon the ground was cousin to dueling in the air, but certainly not the same thing. But they were cross-training, and Kaus did not hold back. He didn't wait, but launched an offensive to test Baudric's defenses.

It played into the taller Avialae's desire to protect, though eventually, Baudric would have to embrace the fact that sometimes, in order to protect, one had to go on the offensive to neutralize a threat.

Kala would never demand that he kill in her name, but he would kill to protect her. But for now, he just wanted to ensure that Baudric was someone he could depend upon to guard his sister should his own absence be required. She was a capable fighter and doughty mage, and imbued with Naori's own chaos, but he was still her shield and her sword when she needed him to be. Thus, he was harder on himself than any previous instructor had been, and would be as hard on the Silver Wings, and Baudric, as was necessary to keep her safe.

She was, to his mind, upon a holy quest for the reunification of the Avialae.

And she was his twin.

.

[Hekatos]

Review

I know Baudric's player has a lot on their plate at the moment, so I am going to review this thread. I think the goals have been achieved and both Kala and Kaus will be available to play again whenever.

So, 10 xp for the both of them!