Journey Into the North

When the introductions had finished, the King rose.

"Eight great heroes inhabit this hall. Each with wisdom, strength, and power. The task ahead of you will require all of these things."

"Your task is to travel to the town of Altan, on the Northern edge of our realm. There, you shall find the first party of pioneers and a company of men. Your job is to scout for this group and to defend them from attackers, foreign or otherwise. In return for this service, we shall pay you handsomely, in land, gold, or in any medium you wish."

"Do you accept this task?" the King asked the group.

Alden looked at the others.

"I'm in."

"I'm in" Alden said stepping forward from the line, and looked strait ahead.

I hope you know what you're doing tranleen thought while surveying the room. He then took a deep breath and stepped forward. "I accept" he said quietly his cloak flowing around him slightly as a breeze passed through an open window. The king only nodded and then turned his gaze to the other heros as a chilling silence descended upon the room. Then another began to step forward.

What an ass, Cyrus couldn't help thinking. No one would be here if they hadn't intended on accepting this fool king's expedition. Nevertheless, he knew he must answer. Huffing irritably, he moved to step forward, all the while keeping an eye on the shady character sidling up to him.

"Keep your hands to yourself, young pup, lest you lose it to these jumpy bastards." He whispered, indicating the purse Henry had just pocketed and the nervous state of the guards. Chuckling good naturedly at the shock on the man's face, he stepped forward, bowed and made his acceptance public. Stepping back, he turned to see if his greedy friend would do the same.

The other heroes all answered in the affirmative. Valin and Seraph seemed skeptical. Still, Alden was glad to be out of the throne room. He was impatient for the adventure to begin.

Horses were waiting outside the castle and the heros mounted them gladly. Alden took flight and followed the heroes as the galloped down the city streets towards the city gate.

Ten minutes later, they were out of the city and trotting along the country side. A road came up ahead.

"We should take the left fork," Alden said.

"That would take more time, the right fork is the more direct route," Valin said.

"It's also has more towns and more people. If we go that way we'll have welcoming committees up to our eyeballs," Alden said.

"That's not bad," Cyrus said.

"It is if you're trying to get somewhere fast," Tan'quin said.

"We could split up," Adrian said.

"What do you think Seraph?" Valin asked.

"Go where you wish. I will be responsible for none of you. I travel alone...with few exceptions," I grumbled, with a look at Valin. With that, I kicked my horse with my heels and ordered her down the left fork.

Fools...how long will it be before they are all merely corpses on the road? The unmarked headstones of countless would be heroes litter this land, and they are no different.

I rode without looking back, not particularly caring if any of them had started after me.

Henry was getting bored. Everyone was pompous and that Dwarf was damn quick to notice his pickpocketing. Usually nobody spotted him. He'd have to keep one eye permanetely on him.

The humans all thought thwey were God. Henry found this enternally boring, since it was a trait he found in pretty much everybody he knew. He hated riding horses and his particular white hose seemed to dislike him, aiming to throw him off whenever they came to a stop.

Before Seraph could answer, Henry rolled his eyes.

"What does it matter? Let's just throw a coin and be done with it, rather 'un sitting round here all day," he said, hoping to spice up the party a bit, which so far had baely talked. Everyone looked grumpy, arrogant or aloof.

Cyrus swore. They were getting no where and he wasn't liking the looks he was getting from some of these fools, sitting on their giant horses. He patted Daisy's rump affectionately. "Don't you worry little lady," he said to the mule. "I have full faith in yer, now why don't we show these ponces a real animal!" With that he heeled his mule down the left fork, yelling with glee as she picked up pace.

"Well, what are you fool's waiting for?" Cyrus called back to them, laughingly. "Altan's not coming to us."

Valin already knew what way he had to go. He had to go left. The trees and grasses spoke to him and told him so. Also, the only other person on this expedition who trusted at all, Seraph, was going left.

Once Seraph led his animal down the left fork, he kicked his steed down the left fork as well, gaining speed. He loved riding, and was good at it, so he decided to show off a little now, while the puny barbarians could still see.
"Yah! Yah!" he urged his mount forward, gaining speed, passing the dwarf on his mule, and even Seraph. "Yah!" he yelled, and then quieter, in the elven language, whispered other words urging the horse forward. He quickly came up to the top of a small rise on a small hill. He pulled his mount to a quick stop, and had her rear up, proudly showing off both his riding skills, the horses pedigree, as well as his own.

"Come, let us away! The sooner we get away from these pompous city-dwellers, the better!" He cried, as he galloped into the sun.

Henry wasn't too much a fan of the arrogant man and the confident elf, or for that matter the strange dwarf, but they were the only ones who had been bothered to do anything, so his horse galloped (uneasily) in pursuit of the three riders, and Henry didn't bother to look behind him.

Action was always the best way forward, he thought.

Everyone took the left fork.

Alden took flight and flew above the heroes. A forest was up ahead.

Far ahead, a flock of birds suddenly came up from the canopy.

"Seraph, we may have trouble ahead. About a mile. I'll go ahead and see what's going on."

Alden didn't wait for a response, instead he flapped hard to go faster. He dove towards the canopy, trading vertical distance for horizantal distance.

He flew in through a hole in the canopy, to see a wagon up ahead. A few men in camoflauge paint were in front of the wagon, each weilding a sword.

They saw Alden approaching and they froze.

"Alden?" One of them said.

It took a few seconds for Alden to recognize him.

"Hooper, is that you?"

"Alden!"

Hooper came forward.

"What are you doing here?" Alden asked.

"It's just some bandits that have been in the woods. They've been seen around these woods. I was just stopping these folks to see if they've seen or heard anything."

"Hooper, we both know that's not true. If you had any sense, you would be pretending to be a group of pioneers, instead of trying to sneak around the forest trying to find some thieves. You are the thieves. What's with the wagon?"

"Get this, we were going to try to roll past a checkpoint by pretending to be pioneers."

"You're stupid, they'd see through this in a second."

"So now what? You got us."

"Well, in a minute there is going to be about seven mean looking riders coming around the corner. You can be liars when they come or you could be thieves. The results would be pretty predictable."

"If you were mercenaries though, then it would be a lot better. You're good Hooper, they're looking for men like you to settle and pioneer the North. If you leave crime behind, I'll give you a fresh start."

In the distance there was the sound of hooves. Hooper looked over at his friends. They nodded.

"Okay, the thieving part wasn't that profitable anyways."

"Crime never pays," Alden says.

"Oh, go grow a Corn field!" Hooper said.

Adrian sighed as he walked, from all sides he could sense mis trust and anger all around. What was he proving? The last time he been in proper battle he had run, run like the coward he was. He had exprience, yeah but that was all in a safe environment. He silently prayed to the god of justice for protection while he walked. What was everyone reason for doing this quest he wondered everyone seemed to hate each other except it seemed Valin and Lord Belfast he sensed a bond with them a really strong bond.

"Why do they always insist on reporting to me?" I asked of Valin. He laughed, the first time I'd heard him do so this trip, and then grinned.

"Maybe it's your kingly personality?" he said with another laugh.

"I took over the kingdom in my father's stead. While in name I rule the land....I figured my uncle would do a better job. My heart lives on adventure, no riches."

Valin nodded his approval, and I continued: "But that is removed from the point, Valin. I rule a land far from here...they hold no allegiance to me. But the next one of them that calls me Seraph...is going to have trouble with me."

"...That's your name. Seraph."

"To those who know me, yes. Those who don't have not earned the right to call me by my chosen name. Respect, Valin. There is no sense of respect in the world, anymore."

"don't I know it! I give none, and expect none in return!" Valin laughed a third time.

"They stink of the extremes, Valin. Law and Chaos, with no room for improvisation. I'll never understand it." I sighed again, and rode next to Valin in silence.

Tan’quin rode along with the others, taking in the landscape. He breathed the fresh air in deeply; it was nice to get away from that city and its stench.

They had all taken the left fork. It likely didn’t matter, he thought. Like anyone really knew where they were going in the first place.

There were a few whispers here and there while the others in this group conversed amongst each other, but Tan’quin stayed away from them mostly. He was intimidated by each and every one.

The day slowly turned to night when the group caught up with Alden. When they arrived, there was already a fire and a spit with a particularly tasty-looking boar roasting. The smell was unbelievable.

Tan’quin dismounted and ran forward, eager to get a share of the delicious-smelling meat. He reached forward with his crescent dagger to cut off a piece, but a man dressed in some lame attempt at camouflage slapped his hand in rebuke.

“Alden gets first share.”

Alden chuckled and introduced the man to the group. “Everyone, this is Hooper.”

Apparently I'm joining. Oh well. Hahah, I think you're going to hate me.

Names: Ursa, Awesome Sharpshooting Fighter with Total SKILLZ of smelling and other cool stuff, Rolly

Gender: Male

Eye color: Chocolate brown

Hair/Fur color: Brown

Ear shape: Round and stuff

Body weight: 825 lb (374 kg). He's kind of fat. XD

Height: 7'8" (2.4 m)

Species: Yeah... he's a giant bear!

Personality: Kind of a smart ass, actually. But oh well. He's Alden's friend.

*head/desk*

A humorous character is one thing, Snoink darling. Turning this storybook into a circus is quite another.

Seraph

This was the first sentence I'd heard Hooper say, and already I detested the man.

"I fail to see why the griffin would get first share before the rest of us," I told the pitiful rogue. "Is he...better, in some way, than the rest of us? Perhaps it is that he killed the animal? Or is it that you think you are strong enough that you can back up your threatening tone?"

I stood up. "If you believe that to be the case...I beg to differ." I walked over the cooking meat and finished the cut the druid had started, staring, all the while, at Hooper. He glared back, trying to form a coherent sentence together, but failing miserably. Sliding the cut into the small dish the druid was holding, I nodded to the woodlander and stepped away.

I turned my back on Hooper and walked back to Valin; he looked slightly confused.

"Why give him 'the nod?' He's just as dirty and grimy as the rest of us!"

I hesitated a moment before trying to explain the aura that radiated from Tan'Quin.

"He is a servant of nature. He understands the balance."

"Your balance, you mean."

I laughed. "Are they not he same?"

"Depends on who you ask."

I shook my head, the smile lingering on my face.

"Hooper doesn't like you. He's been glaring at you ever since you stloe his thunder."