120th of Vhalar, Arc 717
From Victor Amielle’s diary:
Scalvoris is one of the most amazing places that I have ever visited. Never have I seen such an abundance of unusual plants and animals. I have seen flying felines and flying bunnies and seagulls that have the appearance of something long dead, but that still have a beating heart and do all the things that ordinary seagulls do. There are stones that are supposedly able to restore life or drain a person of all emotions. The beaches of Scalvoris are made of sand that shimmers in all the colours of the rainbow or that is cool to the touch even during the worst Saun heat. Its inhabitants are no less unusual – mages that talk about their craft openly, girls that look like they are barely out of school, but that are already professors, veritable prodigies … even the Immortals and their children seem to have taken an interest in the island …
The nearly unbearable heatwave that had troubled Scalvoris during the season of Saun had finally let up and made way to a pleasant warmth. Fluffy white clouds dotted the clear blue sky, and there was occasionally a light breeze, coming from the ocean. The nights had become bearable again as well. No longer did Victor who had taken up a position as a research assistant at the Institute of Metaphysics for the time being feel as if he were sweating to death and as if every breath that he took could be his last one. His energy was slowly coming back – and with it the desire to leave the confines of his office at the university, explore and discover something of note that would ensure him a mention in one of the books in the institute’s library or a certain amount of golden nels.
He had left early when the sun had just appeared at the edge of the horizon and painted the world in a soft red and golden light and was travelling along the coast and already halfway on his way to the Sweetwine Woods when it had reached its highest point. He did not know whether he would travel all the way there – it depended on what he would find that trial – but he had packed some things just in case, a small tent, food and drink, something that would hopefully keep dangerous animals away at night and, of course, a weapon. His clothes were appropriate for a trip into the wilderness, but of fine quality – despite the fact that he was unlikely to encounter a lot of people he could not bring himself to looking like some sort of backwoodsman that barely knew how to converse in Common.
He had just decided to stop at a small meadow to sit down and rest when he heard a rustling in some nearby bushes. He immediately jumped up and reached for his sword just as a four-legged creature with an armoured back that was at least the size of a pony stepped out from behind the bushes. He readied himself for the creature’s attack, but no attack came. It seemed to be more interested in the succulent grass in front of it than the lone human that stared at it with a mixture of trepidation and utter fascination. He had never seen anything like it before. He wondered if it would be possible to capture one of its kind and use it as another person would use a horse as it seemed to be quite docile. It would be a sufficiently impressive birth trial gift for his brother back in Lysoria and something that his subjects would talk about for seasons to come.
For now he turned away from it again though as he did not have the necessary tools with him and made his way closer to the ocean. The sight that greeted him nearly took his breath away. The beach that stretched out before him shone like fire – or perhaps a million rubies that were priceless beyond measure. He came closer and knelt down to touch it and find out if one of the Immortals had turned it to crystal, but it felt like sand, and it slipped through his fingers just like sand. It was a beautiful illusion and nothing more.
Scalvoris is one of the most amazing places that I have ever visited. Never have I seen such an abundance of unusual plants and animals. I have seen flying felines and flying bunnies and seagulls that have the appearance of something long dead, but that still have a beating heart and do all the things that ordinary seagulls do. There are stones that are supposedly able to restore life or drain a person of all emotions. The beaches of Scalvoris are made of sand that shimmers in all the colours of the rainbow or that is cool to the touch even during the worst Saun heat. Its inhabitants are no less unusual – mages that talk about their craft openly, girls that look like they are barely out of school, but that are already professors, veritable prodigies … even the Immortals and their children seem to have taken an interest in the island …
The nearly unbearable heatwave that had troubled Scalvoris during the season of Saun had finally let up and made way to a pleasant warmth. Fluffy white clouds dotted the clear blue sky, and there was occasionally a light breeze, coming from the ocean. The nights had become bearable again as well. No longer did Victor who had taken up a position as a research assistant at the Institute of Metaphysics for the time being feel as if he were sweating to death and as if every breath that he took could be his last one. His energy was slowly coming back – and with it the desire to leave the confines of his office at the university, explore and discover something of note that would ensure him a mention in one of the books in the institute’s library or a certain amount of golden nels.
He had left early when the sun had just appeared at the edge of the horizon and painted the world in a soft red and golden light and was travelling along the coast and already halfway on his way to the Sweetwine Woods when it had reached its highest point. He did not know whether he would travel all the way there – it depended on what he would find that trial – but he had packed some things just in case, a small tent, food and drink, something that would hopefully keep dangerous animals away at night and, of course, a weapon. His clothes were appropriate for a trip into the wilderness, but of fine quality – despite the fact that he was unlikely to encounter a lot of people he could not bring himself to looking like some sort of backwoodsman that barely knew how to converse in Common.
He had just decided to stop at a small meadow to sit down and rest when he heard a rustling in some nearby bushes. He immediately jumped up and reached for his sword just as a four-legged creature with an armoured back that was at least the size of a pony stepped out from behind the bushes. He readied himself for the creature’s attack, but no attack came. It seemed to be more interested in the succulent grass in front of it than the lone human that stared at it with a mixture of trepidation and utter fascination. He had never seen anything like it before. He wondered if it would be possible to capture one of its kind and use it as another person would use a horse as it seemed to be quite docile. It would be a sufficiently impressive birth trial gift for his brother back in Lysoria and something that his subjects would talk about for seasons to come.
For now he turned away from it again though as he did not have the necessary tools with him and made his way closer to the ocean. The sight that greeted him nearly took his breath away. The beach that stretched out before him shone like fire – or perhaps a million rubies that were priceless beyond measure. He came closer and knelt down to touch it and find out if one of the Immortals had turned it to crystal, but it felt like sand, and it slipped through his fingers just like sand. It was a beautiful illusion and nothing more.
