Forward Unto Dawn I 
Ash 33rd, 120th Year, A.o.S.
Night had fallen shortly after their arrival, providing the trio of adventurers with only a small window of time to settle down. They used what little light was left to help pitch up the tent Rickter brought, while Telion worked on using her magic to create a fire they could use to cook with. How she honestly went about it was a totally odd thing for Rickter, however, as it'd been the first time he'd ever seen a mage actually use it in person. Scrivening had to be one of the most beautifully versatile things he'd discovered this night, for the bard had written out some kind of elaborate circle with a few unusual markings. It was entirely foreign to him, and yet he found himself wanting to learn it, to understand it on a fundamentally curious level.
That of course would have to wait until they got back to Kalzasi, where it was safer to practice such a thing compared to out in the wilderness. Still, the Stone Crown Hot Springs did more than just alleviate much of the immediate cold, as he watched the two ladies relax in the water he about blushed actually. Telion and Hannah were both bathed in their undergarments together, relaxing peacefully within the bubbling spring as they looked out to the night sky. By now, it was undoubtedly past midnight from this point forward. Now all that remained was to wait, and soon when sunrise came, they'd be ready and recharged for the extra climb upward. From here it would be past one of the crowning points found within the springs, following a trail past that would help them reach one of the lower side peaks on the eastern Astralar.
It would be there, where the first light of day touches, that they would have their one chance to locate Illumite. "Rickter! You must come join us, the water does wonders for the soul." Hannah beckoned as she threw a splash his way, only gaining the minimum distance in which her water could travel, however. The wolf could only scoff. "You've still got hours before we get to climb, and you really want to wait it out like this?"
"I'd rather be sleeping honestly, but then there's no guarantee I'll awaken on time either." He lightly fussed as he twiddled his thumbs, his eyes still averted on the magical markings that emitted fire from their core.
"Come on Ricky! You'll feel more relaxed about it if you just soak for a while!" Telion encouraged him with a smile, leading the wolf to contemplate the idea a little further. Did he really want to say no? He had never tried bathing in a hot spring before... and come to think of it, doing so now certainly didn't sound so bad either. Thus, reluctantly did he lift his feet off from the rock he'd used for a footstool, shifting off the small boulder he'd sat on in turn with a minor groan. As he went over to his bag he undid the clasp of his chainmail, removing article after article of armor when he reached it. The ladies giggled to themselves for a moment, before one of them realized what it was that the wolf was up to. "Hey Ricky! Could you bring us ours also!?"
Now that made him grunt a low chuckle, all the same, he didn't mind helping them out at least. After he spent time gathering their soap bars as well, Rickter finished stripping to his bare skivvies before the women. Telion and Hannah laughed aloud as the brunette tried to shield her friend's eyes, while the blonde herself wiggled to try and keep from being covered. "Ricky!!" The pair of ladies continued laughing as he walked into the water, the spring immediately heating his ankles as he treaded further into the warm waters. He carefully tossed the two bars of soap in his right hand towards the pair, before moving to take a spot within a slightly deeper pool of the spring. "Talk about no shame!"
"Not like you two haven't already talked about it." He remarked in light of their recent parallels, when the wolf had been surprised with an unexpected birthday the other night. Still, he didn't bother dwelling on the matter anymore, not when it did him no absolute harm in the end. Telion and Hannah were close friends, after all, it made sense that they would talk of such things. The wolf didn't wait to begin streaking the bar of soap he held over his pecks, the wolf beginning with his upper torso as he started to bathe himself clean from the shoulders on down. It was actually rather refreshing to be honest, feeling the bubbling hot water ease the knots out of his muscles. Slowly but surely his lower back started to radiate, the light tension pains loosening over time as he continued to wash his body.
The ladies had to have been doing the same, as they'd quieted down to small chatter once more, their conversation topic actually not related to Rickter for once. He found some small solace in knowing that at least, since they'd been spending an awful lot more time together. That was the downside with these trips, the unexpected constant accompaniment wherever you went. It helped that he really didn't have anything to hide though, not with these two to say the least, yet even so, he still didn't know quite much about his partners. Telion was obviously adventuristic but with her fighting spirit? And Hannah? Those weren't just simple pulls of the trigger she did back there. She was a practiced shot, to say the least, indicating she had at least some dedicated practice with the weaponry.
"So Rickter," Hannah started as she finished soaking her head in water, "what do you intend to do next after this challenge?" As the brunette said this she parted her hair from her face with her hands, a light grin cast at him as she eased back to relax within the spring once more.
"After I've obtained the Illumite, my next goal is to do three favors. One in each area of the city, and it has to be an act of general goodwill." Rickter elaborated aloud as he ruminated on the plan he had in mind, curious as to how he should go about doing these 'acts of goodwill'.
"I remember," Hannah chimed in turn with her right arm craned so that her left finger poked at her temple, "they're to be deeds of honor and compassion, to show you have the heart of a warrior who cares. Not just about his friends, but to all the subjects that are under his charge."
What in the hell?... When she put it that way Rickter couldn't help but agree, as he could see the credibility within that sense of logic. Still, how did she perceive that so easily? I take it you have ideas? He suspected with an eyebrow raised, leading the woman to laugh a bit as Telion finished dipping her head in the water as well.
"That's cute, but sorry Wolfman." Hannah grinned at him then, a playful curve found in her lips before she continued on. "I can't be that resourceful for you just yet."
"Either way, I don't think we'll have that much trouble finding work. It could be as easy as volunteering to help someone, right Ricky?" Telion contemplated aloud for the two to hear, leading the wolf and the brunette to look at her curiously in turn.
That was when Rickter realized it, how quickly he felt ready to smile once again. "Certainly," he agreed calmly with a softer tone, "but first order of business is the Illumite. The sooner we return home with it, the sooner we can actually sleep in proper beds." The wolf mused as he began to watch the sky, patiently soaking within the spring as it kept his skin warm and rejuvenated. He'd even gotten to the point where his rough and rigid fingers softened, pruning from the length of time he'd spent relaxing within the heat of the spring. Before too long it would be time for him to get out, as would the ladies, which became another minor obstacle in itself in one aspect. Their clothes would likely be cold, and the air as unforgiving as the fabric they'd wear.
Still, while it provided a small period of discomfort for them, the trio would power through the few moments of cold, just to warm themselves up at the fire once more as they settled down for the night. While the sleep would be minimal at best, Rickter did find some slight relief in what little naps he could get away with throughout the rest of the night.
That of course would have to wait until they got back to Kalzasi, where it was safer to practice such a thing compared to out in the wilderness. Still, the Stone Crown Hot Springs did more than just alleviate much of the immediate cold, as he watched the two ladies relax in the water he about blushed actually. Telion and Hannah were both bathed in their undergarments together, relaxing peacefully within the bubbling spring as they looked out to the night sky. By now, it was undoubtedly past midnight from this point forward. Now all that remained was to wait, and soon when sunrise came, they'd be ready and recharged for the extra climb upward. From here it would be past one of the crowning points found within the springs, following a trail past that would help them reach one of the lower side peaks on the eastern Astralar.
It would be there, where the first light of day touches, that they would have their one chance to locate Illumite. "Rickter! You must come join us, the water does wonders for the soul." Hannah beckoned as she threw a splash his way, only gaining the minimum distance in which her water could travel, however. The wolf could only scoff. "You've still got hours before we get to climb, and you really want to wait it out like this?"
"I'd rather be sleeping honestly, but then there's no guarantee I'll awaken on time either." He lightly fussed as he twiddled his thumbs, his eyes still averted on the magical markings that emitted fire from their core.
"Come on Ricky! You'll feel more relaxed about it if you just soak for a while!" Telion encouraged him with a smile, leading the wolf to contemplate the idea a little further. Did he really want to say no? He had never tried bathing in a hot spring before... and come to think of it, doing so now certainly didn't sound so bad either. Thus, reluctantly did he lift his feet off from the rock he'd used for a footstool, shifting off the small boulder he'd sat on in turn with a minor groan. As he went over to his bag he undid the clasp of his chainmail, removing article after article of armor when he reached it. The ladies giggled to themselves for a moment, before one of them realized what it was that the wolf was up to. "Hey Ricky! Could you bring us ours also!?"
Now that made him grunt a low chuckle, all the same, he didn't mind helping them out at least. After he spent time gathering their soap bars as well, Rickter finished stripping to his bare skivvies before the women. Telion and Hannah laughed aloud as the brunette tried to shield her friend's eyes, while the blonde herself wiggled to try and keep from being covered. "Ricky!!" The pair of ladies continued laughing as he walked into the water, the spring immediately heating his ankles as he treaded further into the warm waters. He carefully tossed the two bars of soap in his right hand towards the pair, before moving to take a spot within a slightly deeper pool of the spring. "Talk about no shame!"
"Not like you two haven't already talked about it." He remarked in light of their recent parallels, when the wolf had been surprised with an unexpected birthday the other night. Still, he didn't bother dwelling on the matter anymore, not when it did him no absolute harm in the end. Telion and Hannah were close friends, after all, it made sense that they would talk of such things. The wolf didn't wait to begin streaking the bar of soap he held over his pecks, the wolf beginning with his upper torso as he started to bathe himself clean from the shoulders on down. It was actually rather refreshing to be honest, feeling the bubbling hot water ease the knots out of his muscles. Slowly but surely his lower back started to radiate, the light tension pains loosening over time as he continued to wash his body.
The ladies had to have been doing the same, as they'd quieted down to small chatter once more, their conversation topic actually not related to Rickter for once. He found some small solace in knowing that at least, since they'd been spending an awful lot more time together. That was the downside with these trips, the unexpected constant accompaniment wherever you went. It helped that he really didn't have anything to hide though, not with these two to say the least, yet even so, he still didn't know quite much about his partners. Telion was obviously adventuristic but with her fighting spirit? And Hannah? Those weren't just simple pulls of the trigger she did back there. She was a practiced shot, to say the least, indicating she had at least some dedicated practice with the weaponry.
"So Rickter," Hannah started as she finished soaking her head in water, "what do you intend to do next after this challenge?" As the brunette said this she parted her hair from her face with her hands, a light grin cast at him as she eased back to relax within the spring once more.
"After I've obtained the Illumite, my next goal is to do three favors. One in each area of the city, and it has to be an act of general goodwill." Rickter elaborated aloud as he ruminated on the plan he had in mind, curious as to how he should go about doing these 'acts of goodwill'.
"I remember," Hannah chimed in turn with her right arm craned so that her left finger poked at her temple, "they're to be deeds of honor and compassion, to show you have the heart of a warrior who cares. Not just about his friends, but to all the subjects that are under his charge."
What in the hell?... When she put it that way Rickter couldn't help but agree, as he could see the credibility within that sense of logic. Still, how did she perceive that so easily? I take it you have ideas? He suspected with an eyebrow raised, leading the woman to laugh a bit as Telion finished dipping her head in the water as well.
"That's cute, but sorry Wolfman." Hannah grinned at him then, a playful curve found in her lips before she continued on. "I can't be that resourceful for you just yet."
"Either way, I don't think we'll have that much trouble finding work. It could be as easy as volunteering to help someone, right Ricky?" Telion contemplated aloud for the two to hear, leading the wolf and the brunette to look at her curiously in turn.
That was when Rickter realized it, how quickly he felt ready to smile once again. "Certainly," he agreed calmly with a softer tone, "but first order of business is the Illumite. The sooner we return home with it, the sooner we can actually sleep in proper beds." The wolf mused as he began to watch the sky, patiently soaking within the spring as it kept his skin warm and rejuvenated. He'd even gotten to the point where his rough and rigid fingers softened, pruning from the length of time he'd spent relaxing within the heat of the spring. Before too long it would be time for him to get out, as would the ladies, which became another minor obstacle in itself in one aspect. Their clothes would likely be cold, and the air as unforgiving as the fabric they'd wear.
Still, while it provided a small period of discomfort for them, the trio would power through the few moments of cold, just to warm themselves up at the fire once more as they settled down for the night. While the sleep would be minimal at best, Rickter did find some slight relief in what little naps he could get away with throughout the rest of the night.
"Every side attacks you when you don't pick sides."
