Zi'da 13th 718
Ymiden 52nd Was the date of the first letter... following all the way through to just the trial prior. Zi'da 12th. Fridgar, the hulking Lothar, looked through the pieces of parchment, counting the days, recalling the memories of the past arc and a half. Six-hundred-and-ninety-nine trials. It had been nearly seven-hundred trials since he'd last seen or heard from his Kindal. By now, most would have accepted that they were never going to see the one they loved again, that they'd somehow disappeared, abandoned them or died... But he knew better. Alistair was his initiator in rupturing, they shared a bond that let him know the direction of his mentor, no matter how far away he was and for the longest time, he could always feel him in the back of his mind. Now though, he was gone.
Somehow, while searching for Bellator, their sparks disconnected and his location became unknown to him. To most, that would be definitive proof. Their mentor, initiator, they were dead and gone. But somewhere within, be it his instincts, the bond of kindal and havendal or a trace of his long passed madness, he knew Alistair lived. Alistair Venora, now made Alistair Calder; The noble from a far away land that left his home and everything behind to be with him. The most powerful human to ever walk the earth and the most accomplished mage he knew. It didn't make sense to so suddenly be snuffed out, as though he were nothing at all. All those factor, complete his with his blind faith made for an unbreakable resolve. One day, in this life or the next, he would be with his love again.
Of course, despite saying that he was about to stop looking for him in his final message, that didn't mean he was going to abandon the hope that someone else could find him in his stead.
And that was why Fridgar stood in his and Alistairs house, in his living room with a Kriger beside him while Bellator played in the back garden. Despite being a lothar, the Jeger understood that he was not reborn. On top of all the time away he'd been awarded, they arranged a courier to set out into the world to find Alistair Calder, their own hound and his Kindal.
Fridgar smiled to himself a little as he tucked his notes away in a secure envelope of stekir skin. He'd been allowed to give the courier his letters, so that Alistair might read them and know he was well and alive. The giant took a deep breath before handing the other Lothar the envelope. "You'll keep me in the loop, won't you?" He asked through a burn in the back of his throat in the native tongue. The Kriger nodded. "As soon as we learn of the courier's discoveries, we'll let you know." Bellator's laughing from beyond the living room window broke the serious atmosphere for a moment or two, coaxing a chuckle from the two Lothar. Fridgar looked to the smaller man for a moment before bowing his head and verbally expressing his gratitude. "Thank you."
The kriger smirked a little before patting him on the shoulder. "No worries pal. Take care of that kid of yours." He speaks so casually in the tongue before turning and heading toward the door, parcel in hand. As the door clicked open and closed behind him, he watched Bellator through the window. The boy was sat with another Lotharro boy from next door, learning to sharpen sticks with rocks they might find in the plains. Fridgar grinned as he watched the two through the glass. He could already tell that the boy would grow up to be a Jeger, a fine one too with how much his father could teach him.
But, Bellator was starting to look bored. The poor boy could barely speak common yet, let alone understand haltunga. So, Fridgar wiped his eyes in the feldorei's pelt and took a deep breath before heading to the back door. As soon as Fridgar stepped out into the garden, the boys both looked to him. Bellator's bored expression turned to one of glee quite quickly. Even if he didn't yet recognize Fridgar as his father, he seemed to look upon him in a positive light. "What are you two cubs up to, then?" He asked as he lowered to one knee before them. "Teaching Bellator to make a spear!" The other replied with enthusiasm, as though he were proud. The boy was perhaps three or four arcs old, where Bellator was almost two, closer to one and a half. His boy just stared blankly, as he didn't understand the tongue.
That's good! He'll need all the spears he can get if he's gonna be a lurker-slaying Jeger someday." He spoke in the common tongue as he ruffled Bellator's hair. The boy simply looked at him with hopeful eyes before squeaking a single word. "Bear?" He asked. Fridgar held back on rolling his eyes. He knew what that request meant, he was asking where the bear was. After all, Fridgar had carried the boy all the way here from Etzos. "Alright, but just for a break or so." Bellator nodded in agreement to the terms while the other boy looked somewhat confused. Common wasn't his first language and the conversation didn't really make sense without context. So Fridgar pushed to his feet and dusted off his knee with his large hand before taking a couple paces back. Carefully, he drew a small bear from his feldorei pelt's pocket, fashioned from bone, hair and blood. Alistair had crafted it for him nearly two arcs ago now.
He looked upon it with intent while he thought of the trial he'd obtained this totem. Alistair had been at his side through it all. Perhaps one trial, he'd be at his side again. With a smile, Fridgar poured his ether into the totem and tossed it to the ground. Quite quickly, the totem erupted into a full twelve foot tall, twenty-four foot long willow redbear, which shook the ground with it's enormous 2500 lb body mass. It's claws were long and sharp, almost like short swords in how lethal they looked and its teeth were even sharper, protruding from it's lips in a vicious, predatory visage. It's fur was matted and thick, making for a wild, untamed look. This was the alpha redbear, a ferocious monster that could fill the hearts of men with terror at even the thought of encountering it in the wild. yet, it stood there like an obedient dog, awaiting it's masters orders.
Bellator, who had seen the monster before, squealed in delight and immediately ran to the beast, throwing himself against its leg. The other Lothar boy was a little more surprised, but quickly got over the shock of seeing such a beast and rushed toward it after Bellator. That's right, becoming wasn't all that uncommon here. He'd likely seen something similar in the past. For the first break or so, the two cubs were content to just try and climb the best like a big, warm, fluffy jungle gym. It eventually laid down to half the climbing distance so that they could reach it's back, then ran around the garden with them both sat upon it. For the rest of the trial, they ran to and from the ursine in a big game of tag as well as trying to hide from it at every opportunity.
Even as Fridgar joined in, the boys kept laughing and playing all the way into the cold Zi'da night.
Finally, the next door's boy went home and Fridgar put his worn-out son to bed and planted a kiss on his sleeping head. As he returned to the living room, he saw, in the dark garden, that the bear was still waiting there, watching him through the glass with its shiny eyes. Curious, Fridgar ventured into the cold garden once more.
Ymiden 52nd Was the date of the first letter... following all the way through to just the trial prior. Zi'da 12th. Fridgar, the hulking Lothar, looked through the pieces of parchment, counting the days, recalling the memories of the past arc and a half. Six-hundred-and-ninety-nine trials. It had been nearly seven-hundred trials since he'd last seen or heard from his Kindal. By now, most would have accepted that they were never going to see the one they loved again, that they'd somehow disappeared, abandoned them or died... But he knew better. Alistair was his initiator in rupturing, they shared a bond that let him know the direction of his mentor, no matter how far away he was and for the longest time, he could always feel him in the back of his mind. Now though, he was gone.
Somehow, while searching for Bellator, their sparks disconnected and his location became unknown to him. To most, that would be definitive proof. Their mentor, initiator, they were dead and gone. But somewhere within, be it his instincts, the bond of kindal and havendal or a trace of his long passed madness, he knew Alistair lived. Alistair Venora, now made Alistair Calder; The noble from a far away land that left his home and everything behind to be with him. The most powerful human to ever walk the earth and the most accomplished mage he knew. It didn't make sense to so suddenly be snuffed out, as though he were nothing at all. All those factor, complete his with his blind faith made for an unbreakable resolve. One day, in this life or the next, he would be with his love again.
Of course, despite saying that he was about to stop looking for him in his final message, that didn't mean he was going to abandon the hope that someone else could find him in his stead.
And that was why Fridgar stood in his and Alistairs house, in his living room with a Kriger beside him while Bellator played in the back garden. Despite being a lothar, the Jeger understood that he was not reborn. On top of all the time away he'd been awarded, they arranged a courier to set out into the world to find Alistair Calder, their own hound and his Kindal.
Fridgar smiled to himself a little as he tucked his notes away in a secure envelope of stekir skin. He'd been allowed to give the courier his letters, so that Alistair might read them and know he was well and alive. The giant took a deep breath before handing the other Lothar the envelope. "You'll keep me in the loop, won't you?" He asked through a burn in the back of his throat in the native tongue. The Kriger nodded. "As soon as we learn of the courier's discoveries, we'll let you know." Bellator's laughing from beyond the living room window broke the serious atmosphere for a moment or two, coaxing a chuckle from the two Lothar. Fridgar looked to the smaller man for a moment before bowing his head and verbally expressing his gratitude. "Thank you."
The kriger smirked a little before patting him on the shoulder. "No worries pal. Take care of that kid of yours." He speaks so casually in the tongue before turning and heading toward the door, parcel in hand. As the door clicked open and closed behind him, he watched Bellator through the window. The boy was sat with another Lotharro boy from next door, learning to sharpen sticks with rocks they might find in the plains. Fridgar grinned as he watched the two through the glass. He could already tell that the boy would grow up to be a Jeger, a fine one too with how much his father could teach him.
But, Bellator was starting to look bored. The poor boy could barely speak common yet, let alone understand haltunga. So, Fridgar wiped his eyes in the feldorei's pelt and took a deep breath before heading to the back door. As soon as Fridgar stepped out into the garden, the boys both looked to him. Bellator's bored expression turned to one of glee quite quickly. Even if he didn't yet recognize Fridgar as his father, he seemed to look upon him in a positive light. "What are you two cubs up to, then?" He asked as he lowered to one knee before them. "Teaching Bellator to make a spear!" The other replied with enthusiasm, as though he were proud. The boy was perhaps three or four arcs old, where Bellator was almost two, closer to one and a half. His boy just stared blankly, as he didn't understand the tongue.
That's good! He'll need all the spears he can get if he's gonna be a lurker-slaying Jeger someday." He spoke in the common tongue as he ruffled Bellator's hair. The boy simply looked at him with hopeful eyes before squeaking a single word. "Bear?" He asked. Fridgar held back on rolling his eyes. He knew what that request meant, he was asking where the bear was. After all, Fridgar had carried the boy all the way here from Etzos. "Alright, but just for a break or so." Bellator nodded in agreement to the terms while the other boy looked somewhat confused. Common wasn't his first language and the conversation didn't really make sense without context. So Fridgar pushed to his feet and dusted off his knee with his large hand before taking a couple paces back. Carefully, he drew a small bear from his feldorei pelt's pocket, fashioned from bone, hair and blood. Alistair had crafted it for him nearly two arcs ago now.
He looked upon it with intent while he thought of the trial he'd obtained this totem. Alistair had been at his side through it all. Perhaps one trial, he'd be at his side again. With a smile, Fridgar poured his ether into the totem and tossed it to the ground. Quite quickly, the totem erupted into a full twelve foot tall, twenty-four foot long willow redbear, which shook the ground with it's enormous 2500 lb body mass. It's claws were long and sharp, almost like short swords in how lethal they looked and its teeth were even sharper, protruding from it's lips in a vicious, predatory visage. It's fur was matted and thick, making for a wild, untamed look. This was the alpha redbear, a ferocious monster that could fill the hearts of men with terror at even the thought of encountering it in the wild. yet, it stood there like an obedient dog, awaiting it's masters orders.
Bellator, who had seen the monster before, squealed in delight and immediately ran to the beast, throwing himself against its leg. The other Lothar boy was a little more surprised, but quickly got over the shock of seeing such a beast and rushed toward it after Bellator. That's right, becoming wasn't all that uncommon here. He'd likely seen something similar in the past. For the first break or so, the two cubs were content to just try and climb the best like a big, warm, fluffy jungle gym. It eventually laid down to half the climbing distance so that they could reach it's back, then ran around the garden with them both sat upon it. For the rest of the trial, they ran to and from the ursine in a big game of tag as well as trying to hide from it at every opportunity.
Even as Fridgar joined in, the boys kept laughing and playing all the way into the cold Zi'da night.
Finally, the next door's boy went home and Fridgar put his worn-out son to bed and planted a kiss on his sleeping head. As he returned to the living room, he saw, in the dark garden, that the bear was still waiting there, watching him through the glass with its shiny eyes. Curious, Fridgar ventured into the cold garden once more.
