Ancients of Gondarash [Ethereal, Eric]

[Ethereal Panda]

"I have never seen one before!" Cliff exclaimed looking bedazzled. "I mean I have read of them in some books," he trailed off into silence.

There were seven of the creatures, two of which appeared to be calves. Although initially there didn't seem to be a pattern to their movement, after some observation the largest seemed to be leading the group. The leader, who Cliff assumed to be male, had long horns and what looked like an old man's beard. They were grazing about a minutes walk from where the two boys were standing. Cliff stepped ahead and turned to his friend. "Can we get closer?"

[Treijim]

"No, we'd scare them," Larr said. "Alert them, I mean. They could easily trample us. I think we should head back anyway. Come on."

So they did. The walk back was quicker than the walk to the stones. They talked about this and that and briefly discussed the library's expansion. On return, the camp seemed strangely quiet. They both stopped and inspected the layout slowly. Nobody was doing anything. Nobody was there. Things had been abandoned. Then they heard voices coming from within the commons so they entered. At first there was blobby darkness but as their eyes adjusted they were stunned to see a foreign figure dressed all in white. Larr's first instinct was to run, but he didn't want to attract attention to the fact that Cliff wasn't one of them. He gave Cliff a very subtle shake of the head in case he was also considering running. Instead, Larr looked at the others who were seated -- noting Arka's absence -- and waited for an introduction from somebody.

[Ethereal Panda]

Cliff's too immediately wanted to run taking Larr with him, but in the low key exchange between the boys, the message to stay was clear. For a long moment they just stood there. The giant dressed in white was actually smaller than Cliff had imagined him, but that was not to say that he was not of formidable stature. All the heroic thoughts that had crossed his mind earlier in the day when he day dreamed what he would do if he actually met one of the creatures seemed far away now.

Although Cliff wasn't really certain of what to do, he suspected that standing at the entrance was a bad idea. After committing to staying the commons, Cliff's body seemed to go into auto-pilot, seating him in the nearest makeshift chair at the table. He was sure to sit closer to the man in white, because although he was afraid, the fear was more for his friend than himself. After all, Larr said he was safe, because Cliff wasn't one of them, right? Cliff suddenly wasn't so certain.

[tesunie]

[Joining with Rayne]

The person in white spoke without any introduction when Larr and Cliff walked in and in a controlled, yet clipped and angry sounding manner, "I don't get why I have to come in here and deliver a message that's already been received. However, here I am." He was thumping his foot on the floor, showing his aggravation over being here.

"Today was the day that," he started, and then whips a hand around without looking, pointing at Larr, "This one named Larry was suppose to go to the Giants. He is deemed ready, so I am now here to take him." His very simplistic and quick motion told everyone how impressed he was that he had to be here.

"Come along and let me get this over with already." The person turned to face Larr and the other boy. "The sooner it is done the sooner I can get to something better. And the sooner the rest of you will be adjusted to the change."

[Treijim]

Larr, needless to say, was stunned. Nierra let out a small cry but quickly subdued it. She didn't want Larr to go, but at the same time, she didn't want to be taken, too. There were confused and angry whispers but nobody brought forward any concerns to the giant until Monopa spoke up.

"We received no message of your arrival, sir," Monopa said, trying to meet the giant's sternness and still be reasonable. "So we have had literally no time to prepare for this, as you know. But... Larr? He is the one person I think -- with all.. due respect -- you should not take. He built everything around us." She smiled at Larr; her words were genuine and grateful. "Without him, we can't last like this much longer. He has a very important job here..."

Then everybody seemed to slowly remember Larr's idea of making a library so that information was shared. All eyes were fixed on Larr. He said nothing.

"You were planning this, you sly demon," Jed said across the room. "You knew they'd come for you next, so you wanted us to share all our information with each so that we all became expendable to the giants. That's evil."

"Is that true, Larr?" Monopa asked. Nierra, too, had the same question written on her face.

Larr could only shake his head. The arguing continued in the same fashion for a short while; people accused Larr of planning for his own departure and he denied it only by shaking his head constantly as though unable to even comprehend their attacks. Nierra was on the verge of crying.

"We don't argue with the giants," Larr said once he saw a gap where he could speak. "That's the rules. I've already explained how to build the library to Cliff and he'll quickly learn the rest. It's not hopeless. I'm not your leader. Tell them, Cliff. Tell them you agree."

"So you were scheming it," Jed said. "I say we do ourselves a favour and get rid of him while we can!"

[Ethereal Panda]

In a hoarse whisper, Cliff pleaded to Larr, "No... I can't!"

The shock, confusion, and overall lack of understand of the situation left his emotions jumbled. He would have been on the verge of tears if he wasn't so angry at his friend for giving in so quickly. Cliff stood up knocking over his chair. Although pain was still radiating from his foot, it was emotional anguish that was displayed on his face.

Leaning over Larr, Cliff said so softly that only he could hear, "I don't want you to go. Don't let them take you." In his heart, he knew this wasn't his decision to make, but he had to try. The eyes of the rest of the room and indifference of the white robed man was not noticed by Cliff. "I don't know what happens when they take you, but you can't go," he whispered.

[tesunie]

The boy looked around, "Where is Arka? We had told him. Fine. You may take a short while..." He started to speak, but the rest of the group was now shouting.

"I'll give you...", They continued to talk loudly amongst themselves, which irritated the boy to no end. After a short time, he had had enough. "ENOUGH! He goes with me NOW!" The shout was loud enough to over rule anyone else in the tent, and he was now standing there with his arms crossed, a glare that could be seen from under the hood.

"I thought you all knew the rules. Don't question the rules. And DON'T question me." At that, the giant dressed in white started to walk over to Larr in an intimidating fashion.

[Treijim]

Larr listened to all that Cliff had to say but he didn't reply to any of it. He looked at Cliff sadly and pulled himself away. It seemed he had submitted himself completely to the request of the giants, even before any of the others had heard who they wanted to take.

The giant yelling had shocked everybody into silence. Even Jed and Tex -- who had argued both for and against Larr leaving over the past few minutes -- held their tongues. He would have made it out the door with Larr if there wasn't somebody blocking the exit. Arka stood there, feet firmly planted in the ground, arms crossed, fiery eyes meeting the giant. Larr looked at him and then at the giant who had stopped his approach. Monopa stood and slammed her hands on the table.

"Leave Larr," Arka said. Though his voice was soft, it was powerful. "Take me instead. I'm ready. I promise you."

"Arka..." Monopa began, but she stopped herself as though knowing Arka couldn't be influenced once his mind was made up. "You don't have to do this."

"They have to take somebody. An opportunity has come up and the role needs to be filled, right?" Arka asked the giant, meeting his gaze fearlessly. "It's up to him who goes, but I offer myself as a superior alternative to Larr." He looked at Larr and smiled. "No offense."

Larr moved closer to Cliff. The prospect of him staying seemed to begin to settle in his troubled bones. It could now be seen that, unlike the young carpenter, Arka was not afraid.

"So," Arka looked at the giant. "Where's it going to be?"

[Ethereal Panda]

Although Cliff didn't want to see anyone go, he couldn't help but feel happiness rising up within his chest. The feeling manifested into a smile, but he quickly suppressed it for both its inappropriate nature and the fear that the emotion would further cloud his judgment. Smoothly for one with a cain, he stepped partway between the giant and Larr.

[tesunie]

At first, the boy dressed in white glared at Arka, "Get out.." He started to threaten, but when he offered himself instead, he was surprised.

"So? You offer yourself instead of this boy? Fine. It will be easier for me then. All the same, you know the oaths?" The boy seemed impressed with Arka and his stand. "Well... formality, as much of a waste of time and a pain as it can be, is formality." You could see his shoulders shrug as he said that.

"Are you prepared to have the responsibility of a Slayer?" He seemed to wait for a response, and then continued on, "What will you wield in your hands? What shall you carry in your right hand? And what of your left?"

He waited till the official oaths were over, before he answered Arka's question. Hesitantly, as it was unusual for him to say this now, he quietly stated, "It's going to be at Fortress Tyrisen at Batyrun in Northern Tasif." He sounded uncertain of this.

[Treijim]

Arka seemed prepared for the questions and he answered them with ample confidence. "I wish to be a Slayer and I am ready. In my right hand is a sword, and in my left are flames. That is what I ask. I've been waiting for this for a long time."

At the mention of what was assumed to be some distant location, Arka seemed sad. He looked right through the giant, through the walls of the tent, through the trees outside, through the surrounding cliffs, the mountains, past the ocean, at something distant and ancient. He narrowed his eyes as though it was a bright light and then looked at the ground. Wiping his face with his sleeve, he nodded slowly. Everyone watched.

"Good," he said. "Somewhere close to home..."

He took an old book out of his bag and put it into Cliff's hands with a smile. He then proceeded to bid everybody farewell. Nobody wanted him to go, and they all expressed it through their hugs and goodbyes. Arka could only assure them that they would be fine without him and that he, too, would be fine where he was going.

"Arka," Larr mumbled, only able to look at the ground. "I owe you."

"No you don't. I want this and you don't. It's stupid for the giants to even consider taking you." Arka eyed the giant to see if he heard or took offense. "You don't owe me anything. Just look after everyone for me." He turned to the giant. "I'm ready."

[Ethereal Panda]

Cliff tried to return Arka's smile, but it felt all wrong to him. He withdrew from the rest of the group, allowing them their privacy. While the others said their goodbyes, Cliff sat down at the table and quietly stared at the cover of the book. The boy felt intense guilt over his elation that it was Arka, not Larr, being taken. Turning the pages, the book depicted detailed information about fighting and other techniques. He must have known this was coming. Arka had spent some, if not most, of his remaining time storing these things for those he left behind. Cliff clutched the book tightly against his chest.

Looking up to Larr, he could tell that his friend was going through much more painful emotions. Cliff rose from his seat and moved to Larr's side in hopes of offering some comfort. In an empathetic gesture, he silently placed a hand on his friend's shoulder.

Turning to Arka, Cliff realized that during his whole life he had never acted as admirably as Arka did. Even now he wasn't certain that he ever could. Arka's calm in spite of everything awed Cliff. Without any words, Cliff gave him a sincere nod that said clearly, "Thank you."

[tesunie]

The boy walked towards the exit, looking at Arka as he walked over. He let them say their goodbyes, and even seem to ignore the comment about being stupid for considering Larr. Looking closely, you could almost see his head nod, or was that the hood of the coat just catching a breeze?

"It's time to go. You've said your goodbyes. The sooner you're gone, the sooner they and you will adjust to the changes," his voice carried on an even tone, the anger seeming to be either held in check for the moment, or not there anymore. "We leave now."

Just before he left the tent however, he turned around, and looked directly at Cliff, his eyes visibly looking at his eyes, "And you newcomer. I shall speak to you later..." With those final words to the group, he was out of the tent and outside, waiting for Arka to follow.

[Treijim]

And so Arka left.

"We need a new leader," Jed said after an inconsiderably short silence.
"He only just walked out, Jed. Have a heart!" Larr said. "Besides, Arka told me to take care of everyone. Didn't you hear?"
Monopa sighed. "I don't think that's what he meant. I was leader beside Arka and now that he's gone I'm the only one. We don't need two leaders again."
Jed nodded, agreeing. One or two of the others did.
"That's not fair," Larr said. "We could at least get to vote on who we want to lead. I'm sure some of you would choose me, right?"

Similarly, others nodded at the idea of Larr leading. Tex suggested himself as a third candidate. Nobody had the heart to tell him they wouldn't vote for him, so they all went along with it. Once it was agreed that there would be a vote soon, with three potential leaders to choose from, they spent a short while reminiscing about the things Arka did. It became clear that he would be missed, and his departure was actually very sudden and the idea that he was now gone would take a long time to sink in properly. Tex boasted ownership of Rosaria, and nobody could deny that he actually had good experience with horses. Nierra agreed to help him take care of the horse, as she had a natural disposition towards most animals anyway.

"Arka gave you that book?" Monopa asked Cliff. "What's in it?"

[Ethereal Panda]

"Instructions," Cliff responded, "For fighting... he must have written it after first talking to the giant."

Opened to a page with a semi-crude diagram, he held the text up to show the others. Cliff quickly closed the book and tucked it under his arm. Confidently, as though he was now on a mission, he stated, "It will be the first in the library." His eyes met Larr's and the boy smiled genuinely. The boy stood from his chair and walked to the exit. "I know I am a stranger here," he said to the group, "I will leave you to talk alone." With that, he stepped outside.

After walking to the edge of the river, Cliff sat down in some grass by the bank. He spent a few minutes reading the book, and closed it when the sun began to set. With all the excitement, the day had slipped by surprisingly fast. Although he was reading Arka's book, Cliff tried hard not to think about him.

His sunset gazing was interrupted by the sound of pebbles crunching beneath someone's feet. Turning around, he saw Larr lit in the sun's golden light.

"Hey," Cliff said, "I am glad you are still here with me." Turning back to the sunset, he stated, "I wound not have wanted to stay here if you left."