The pleasant chirping of the morning birds woke Jonas. His eyes were still heavy, his muscles tight. Jonas stretched his arms and legs, releasing a bellowing yawn as he did so. Opening his eyes he sat up in bed, the morning sunlight pouring into his inn room. Jonas awoke quickly, climbing from bed and dressing himself in a few minutes time. His mind was fresh, as long as he was stuck in 600A.D. he would make the most of it and see the sights. Jonas exited his room, moving the the corridor of the Truce inn before reaching the lobby. It was quiet, the innkeeper nowhere to be seen. Jonas scanned the room, stopping as he reached a bulletin board. ” Hmm, what's this? ” Jonas said to himself, speaking a loud as he did when no one else was around. Jonas approached the bulletin board, his eyes locked onto a bright yellow slip of paper with large words printed on it “Adventurers Sought“. As ne neared he was able to read the fine print.
”Guardia Castle head chef looking for adventurers to aide him in locating a rare ingredient. May be dangerous, will require some travel. Please inquire at Guardia Castle, payment can be discussed in person.” The ad read.
Jonas was intrigued, and as he had no other plans for the day he decided he would make his way to Guardia Castle and perhaps undertake such an adventure.
Peter woke from his own bed in Truce Village. He owned a two story building just outside the center of town. The bottom floor was a bakery that had a deal with Peter that they paid no rent, but gave any bread left over to those in need. The bakery owners were so appreciative of this deal that they usually made extra or gave fresh bread during the day. Peter also loved the deal because he woke up with the smell of fresh bread every morning.
This was the first night since Peter slept in his own bed since coming back to this time. Once he gained ice back, Peter felt he got enough power to come back, but he still went through the backway without fear that the bakery owners would say anything. They were use to Peter coming and going in secret and respected that. Peter walked towards the window out looking Truce Village and smiled. He was starting to feel back at home. As he looked out the window, he saw Jonas look at a flier then walk away. One of Peter's ears spiked up in interest and hurried down the back door and out towards where Jonas looked at the flier.
Peter still wore a brown robe over his normal clothes, but now it was well mended and still clean, a show of his magical powers advancing. His hood was still drawn, not wanting his identity to be known until he was more powerful. Peter looked at the flier and saw that the chef was in need of an ingedient. Probably the one he wouldn't tell him that was used for the King. He always talked about how important it was and Peter always wanted to know. He was always friendly with the chef knowing that meant your food was always done well.
Peter walked the same direction as Jonas until he began getting close to the edge of the town then moved into a run, “Jonas, wait up.” Peter waved his arm to point himself out, “You heading towards the castle?”
After their skirmish in Truce Canyon, Nadia, Peter, and Jonas had arrived at Truce in order to check up on the residents after the imps’ attack. Though fire had damaged a few buildings, thankfully few had been seriously injured. That night, she and Jonas had stayed at the inn in Truce while Peter had gone to his own home across the street. Why he hadn’t invited either of them to stay with him she would probably never know, as she didn’t care to ask. The funny-looking mage’s business was his own and she had no intention of taking it on as hers.
When she awoke in the morning, she donned her clothing and armor and decided to go for a stroll. Exiting the town, she left her companions behind to sleep or do as they like. She didn’t mind being alone, as much of her time in Guardia Castle was spent away from others. At first, she had hated it, but after a while, solitude had grown on her. It gave her time to think and consider on matters of the past, present, and future – such as “am I going to be stuck in this place forever?” In hindsight, the question seemed silly.
Lost in her thoughts, Nadia had made it quite a ways down the road, far from the outskirts of town. Eventually, she came to an intersection in the dirt road. Before her stood a sign reading “Guardia Castle” and an arrow pointing North. She stopped there and weighed her options. “I wonder if the castle is any different in this time,” she said to herself.
— O.O.C. Talk Sorry for making you guys wait. Feel free to join me at the intersection. Or we can meet up at the castle. It's whatever. 268 words / 268 total
The Village of Truce was alive with movement and chatter as Jonas exited the inn, stopping for a moment to look about the town. He was still taken aback by the sight of his home centuries before he had been born. It was so familiar yet at the same time so different, it was an amazing thing. Shaking free of his thought Jonas moved though the bustle of the center of town, following the well known roads of his home towards the outskirts of town. As he neared the edge of the village Jonas turned, hearing Peter calling from behind. ” Peter, how are you this morning? ” Jonas shouted back with a wave, waiting for his friend to catch up. ” Yes I'm headed to the castle, seems there is some adventure afoot. Perhaps you'd like to accompany me? ” He spoke as Peter drew near, assuming that Peter would at some point wish to visit a place he had spoke of many times, Guardia Castle. With Peter now in tow Jonas continued down the lone dirt road that lead west from Truce. It cut through rolling fields of grain on it's way towards the forest. Jonas had come this way many times, and while Truce of his time had changed, the wilderness seemed the same. Ahead Jonas could see the intersection of roads, if they continued straight they would reach the Cathedral, south would take them back to the ruins of Zenan Bridge, and north would cut through Guardia Forest to Guardia Castle. ” Hey that looks like Nadia. ” Jonas exclaimed as he eyed a figure in the distance, waiting at the crossroads. ” Come on, let's see if she's headed to the Castle as well. ” Jonas remarked as he upped his pace towards the figure in the distance.
Removing his hood now that Peter was far enough from the village, Peter caught up to Jonas and stuck out his hand, “Good, got to sleep in my own bed, nothing like waking up to the smell of fresh bread.” Nodding as he took in a breath of the fresh air around him. It was beautiful, but he had a feeling he could still smell the bread now. He moved his head up and down to see what the smell it. The bread was definitely there, but he was so far away. Peter shrugged it off thinking it was a memory.
“Yea, I learned at my time at Guardia Castle that the chef should always be your best friend.” Peter laughed. In the distant he could hear footsteps, his ears shoot right up and Peter looked around as Jonas pointed out Nadia. The rabbit mage wondered what was going on. First, he seemed he could smell something he couldn't then he heard something he shouldn't. Was the rabbit gaining power as eh gained it himself? What would happen if he got his power back? Peter looked troubled as he walked towards Nadia. No matter what would happen, Peter had to gain his power back. It was who he was. Putting on a happy face, Peter waved to Nadia, “Hey, you heading to help the chef too?” Peter had learned in his campaigns that no matter what a cheerful face never hurt a situation.
Nadia spun around, slightly alarmed by the abruptness of the greeting, ready to draw her sword if need be. When she saw it was only Peter and Jonas however, she relaxed and let out a breath. “You gave me quite the start just now,” she said, walking up to meet them. “I was just out taking a walk. What’s all this about a chef?” After they had explained themselves, Nadia nodded. “Alright then. That sounds like something to do. I was actually thinking of headed to the castle myself anyway.”
The three continued down the road, away from the crossroads sign, towards Guardia Castle. As they walked, the sun beat down overhead, sending a bead of sweat down her forehead. Wearing all this armor, while customary in her profession, did have its downsides.
Eventually, hills turned to woods – Guardia Forest. The party pressed forth along the path that cut through the crowd of enormous trees that stood around them. Sunlight cut through the canopy in small shafts, but the heat was not nearly as powerful as it had been out on the plains. For that, she was thankful. Even in this time, this place is like a shrine – peaceful, uninterrupted.
When they exited the forest, they stood at the foot of a tall cliff. Carved into the earth ahead of them was a stone staircase that led to the top of the cliff; and atop it stood the castle in all its majesty. From where they stood, it seemed enormous, albeit no different than Nadia remembered it from her time. “Have you ever been inside the castle?” she asked the two of them before beginning their ascent.
— O.O.C. Talk Sorry again. Life has been kicking me around the last couple of days. Onward! 277 words / 545 total
Jonas took the time to enjoy the scenery of the untouched meadows and forests of Guardia. For his entire life — as far as he could remember back — he had been enchanted by the places around Truce and how serene they were. He took in the smells and felt the breezes and simply enjoyed the hike with two people he had come to truce greatly over the past weeks. As the forest ended and the towering structure that was Guardia Castle appeared he was surprised to see how much it had not changed, aside from the roofing it seemed exactly the same. ” I've been here once or twice, as a child with school. ” Jonas replied to Nadia's question, thinking of what a life changing event the first time he had seen the castle had been. It had shaken him to his core, the majesty of it all. ” I couldn't tell you how to get to the kitchen though, wouldn't one of you know? ” He asked, remembering clearly that Peter had worked in the castle in this very time, and Nadia in his own time. Ahead the mammoth steps that lead up the steep plateau on which the castle complex sat was coming into view. He wondered if they would be able to simply walk into the castle, considering a war was in progress he assumed that would not be the case.
As Peter walked closer and closer towards their destination, he contemplated about what he was doing. He still haven't reached the level of magic that he wanted the King to see him at, but here he was going straight to the guy's house. His instincts told him to run, get far away. Which seemed odd to Peter. He usually stood strong under pressure, but now he wanted to run. All these changes have started since he gain more magic power, but he wasn't sure where they came from.
As he looked up at the stairs to the Castle, Peter looked over at Jonas, but hide his angry expression under his hood then looked between the two, “I had always wished to come here, but never had to opportunity.” Peter's mind races as he tried to figure out a way to avoid the castle. He trusted Jonas with his dark secret, but he barely knew Nadia. He needed a way out. His body told him to run, run, run, run, but his mind was telling he needed to stay and figure out a reason.
Thankfully, his mind was in control and he stayed, “But unfortunately, we must part here for now.” Peter looked down as he deep and thought with worry, “I made a promise that I would come here with someone and I can't brake that promise.” Though Peter lied it wasn't a huge lie and had some truth in it. He promised himself he wouldn't return here without his magic something he saw as a living entity within and around him. “I'll wait here for your return.” Peter walked to the bottom of the stairs crossed legged, none of his body touching the stairs. “I'm sure you can ask anyone in there for directions, everyone's got to eat.” The rabbit mage lowered his hood more and began to meditate.
Nadia didn't entirely understand Peter's reason for staying behind, but she accepted it for what it was. “Okay,” she said. “We'll be back as quickly as we can.” She looked to Jonas. “Let's get going, I guess,” she said and started up the stairs. As they made their way up, she looked back at the ground below. Though she knew she wasn't that high up, everything looked far away. Even Peter's figure had lost most of it's definition.
By the time they had made it to the top, she was out of breath, despite having made the climb many times before. From there, she could see the tops of the trees in the forest below. Before them stood the stone walls of Guardia Castle and rising into the sky behind them, tall towers that contained quarters of castle employees like herself. “This way,” she told Jonas between breaths.
The pair walked to the castle gate. Ahead of the closed porticulis stood two guards with spears in hand. “Who goes there?” the guard asked.
“Nadia Durren, Knight of Guardia Castle and her companion, Jonas. We request entrance to the castle.” The two guards turned their heads towards one another and exchanged a curious look before breaking into a fit of laughter.
“A knight!?” he barked. “More like a girl dressed up in her daddy's armor! Get outta here, girl!” Nadia bit her tongue, realizing what she said may not have been the best way to gain entrance. Even in her time, guardsmen had scoffed at her knighthood. In 600 A.D., such a notion was unheard of.
She turned to Jonas and leaned in to whisper to him. “I forgot we weren't in our own time. I don't think these two will listen to me. Do you wanna give it a try?”
— O.O.C. Talk Sorry for a third time. I'm a busy man. 301 words / 846 total
Jonas was breathing heavily as he climbed the towering stairs that lead to the castle's gate. He had accepted Peter's reasoning without question, having come to an understanding about the man and his condition. He knew that one day he would return to this place, but today was not that day. As they reached the top Jonas simply nodded at Nadia direction and followed closely behind. 'After all she was a knight of Guardia.' He thought to himself as they reached the gate and summoned the nearby guard. Jonas was taken aback by the scene that followed, he had not expected them to turn her away so quickly, even if she was not a knight in this time. ” Yeah, I guess I better. ” Jonas shrugged as he stepped past Nadia and approached the guard. ” That was a good one! ” He belted out in an obscene tone, getting into character. ” That's my little sister, I bet her she wouldn't say that when we got here— Anyway we're suppose to meet the castle chef, he sent for us. ” Jonas continued, a feeling inside of him brewing that Nadia would not be very happy with his tactics, she seemed stern and stoic without much humor. The Guard let out a bellowing laugh as Jonas spoke and without addressing them further unlocked a small door in the massive gate to allow them passage. He pointed down a long corridor with his thumb before returning to a stool near the gate.
Post edited 7:52 am – September 11, 2014 by fevian
Adventure: Chef's Secret
Embarrassed by her lack of judgment when addressing the guards, as well as the response they had given her, Nadia backed away and allowed Jonas to take a crack at them. Putting on a boisterous façade that the guards might agree with, he parleyed with them, quickly reversing what she had done. When the young adventurer referred to her as his sister, Nadia let out a smile, partially for the act, but maybe a bit out of delight as well. She wasn’t used to having friends. In her time, she hadn’t had a true one in ages. Of course, she had brothers-in-arms, but even those few knights that accepted her amongst their own couldn’t be considered companions.
When Jonas finished his trick, the guards laughed and let the two of them through a door built as part of the gate. The door led to a long corridor, its stone walls leaving just enough space for two to walk abreast. At the end, light shined through from another doorway. Jonas and Nadia walked the distance of the corridor and came to the doorway. Stepping through it, they came out of the castle’s outer wall and into the courtyard. Green grass, trees, and flowers lined the cobblestone road leading from the gate to the keep. The two continued into the keep, past more guards. This time, she had simply told them their intention, which went without a hitch. Maybe I should’ve done that the entire time, she thought.
When they were inside, Nadia couldn’t help but feel slightly at home, even if she cursed the place every day. After all, she had been living here for quite a while – except four hundred years in the future. She looked around the walls, at the paintings and tapestries, and at the rich carpets under their feet. Not much has changed from then to now… Or now to then… Whatever…
As they continued through the stone hall, delicious scents crept through the air. The chef was renowned for his culinary ability, and just the thought of his food made her mouth water. “It’s not too much further,” she told Jonas. “It’s just up ahead.”
— O.O.C. Talk Take us the rest of the way there, John. Just say Nadia was leading or something, haha. 359 words / 1205 total
Post edited 5:27 am – September 16, 2014 by dystopia
Chef's Secret
Jonas marveled at the craftsmanship that went into building such an impressive and towering structure. He noted the vaulted halls and massive chambers that they passed though, remembering vaguely back to his childhood when he had visited the Castle with his school. He was just as amazed now as he was then, the sense of grandeur and regality just as immense as he remembered from his youth. Jonas eye'd Nadia as he walked, wondering how she felt about the Castle in the time, after all she had called this place home in their own future. ” The Kitchen isn't much farther is it? ” Jonas said aloud as the smells of food started to tickle his senses, drawing him closer to the kitchen and what would surely be the chef. Descending to the lower level of the Guardia Castle they entered the massive kitchen, it's hearths burning hot. The heat of this place was off putting, looking around he could see the effect it had on those who worked here every day. Shaking it off Jonas passed two men stirring a massive cast iron post of who knows what, the smell delightful. ” There, that must be him. ” Jonas pointed to a man who seemed to be barking orders to all of the others, noting the tall white hat he wore. Jonas moved through the sea of people moving around, reaching the chef who did not notice their arrival. ” You must be Guardia's Chef, we've come from Truce, summoned by an ad that you posted requesting aide. ” Jonas spoke loudly, attempting to cut through the consistent yelling and chatter of the workers. ” Ah yes! Adventurers! ” The chef started, ushering Jonas and Nadia aside quickly, waving away any who attempted to follow. ” I'll pay you well if you can track down this. ” He said as the reached a small nook away from the action of the kitchen, handing Jonas a piece of paper with a single word scrawled upon in which he had pulled from his pocket. Jonas looked at the paper in his hand, one word written in dark black ink 'Shitake'. Looking back he knew what it meant, though he was unsure about where to find such a thing. ” The mushroom only grows from the back of a fierce creature which can only be found in the forests near Porre. ” The chef spoke, seemingly aware of the need of explanation. Jonas nodded, handing the paper to Nadia as he shook the chef's hand and turned, heading back through the castle towards the entrance.
— OOC Talk: Griff you're up, you can assume we exit the castle at the end of my post. HP: 142/142 ~ MP: 42/44 Words: 441 ~ Total Words: 2320
Peter continued to meditate as the rest of the party made their way into the castle. Before, Peter had seemingly mastered the art of meditation. He was able to clear his mind so freely as to make an almost seperate area within his brain for him to experiment with his magic without manifesting anything. Now, he could still do something similar, but thoughts that Nadia might see something that related to him ran through unchecked. Thinking he should have told her so she wouldn't make a big deal came right after.
Sounds of foot steps caused Peter's rabbit ears to rise straight up and his eye's bolted open. He rose to his feet and looked up the stairs, running away was a second thought. He saw the two coming down the stairs and relaxes with a sigh. Not seeing any sign they had saw anything. Peter waved with a smile, far more happy to see his fears unfounded, “Where we off to?”
The air within the kitchen was close and sweltering, clinging to Nadia’s exposed skin and baking the parts of her that were concealed under armor. Cooks and kitchen hands paced the floor, bringing ingredients to the various stations, tending flames, and standing over pots which assumedly contained delicious stews. When they saw the head chef, they immediately approached him, disregarding his busy appearance. Nadia was content to let Jonas do the talking. After all, her choice of words had nearly ended their visit to the castle before it had begun. Soon, the chef revealed the ingredient he was lacking to be a special type of mushroom that could only be harvested from a creature that lived in the forests near Porre. A thin smile came across her face upon hearing that. It looks like I’m going home.
Exiting the castle and descending the flight of stairs, they found Peter where they had left him, meditating. “We’re going to Porre,” she told him. “It’s quite a hike from here, so we better get going.” So the three set off, back through Guardia Forest and onto the road to Porre Village. It was only then that the anxiety set in. Even if she wasn’t in her own time, she hadn’t been home in such a capacity in quite a while. There was no telling what effect that would have on her when they arrived. She tried to push it out of her mind.
— O.O.C. Talk Finally got this post in. Work blows. 241 words / 1446 total
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