On the Road again

Arc sighed as he was feeling like a kid again despite being a skeleton hiding in a suit of armor. The next few hours were awkward and quiet as he kept watch and stoked his camp fire. he was feeling nervous about his shift ending and having to go to sleep. Sadly time was not on his side as his shift ended and he woke up the next person to take his place. He then entered the tent and laid down. After some nervous tossing and turning he even gave into his need to sleep and his mind began to wonder.

Parvil took next watch, watching the fire and listening for anything unsavory in the forest. After a few hours had passed he woke up Kroski to take the last watch hoping he'd make breakfast after last nights stew.

After watching the fire for a bit the slight chill in the air reminded him of home. Kroski did not have to stay awake the others did not know through his training with the Storm Giants. The rune magic they taught him he gained a sense. Krosik can not be surprised by attacks or even things sneaking around him. but he could keep the fire going.

The night was calm sometimes a night critter would come by like a raccoon-type of animal. but with Dusty around they did not stay long. The next morning the dawn light was making its appearance. Krosik got the fire up worming up the leftovers and cooked some bacon as well. with the smell of food and coffee. Krosik knew that the others would start to wake up.

Arc woke up in his full plate armor and moaned as he tried his best to stretch. The irony of that was he had no muscles to stretch since he was still a skeleton under all his heavy armor. It was a sight to see him scratching his helmet and butt plate as if they were his own skin. After a big yawn he crawled out from the tent and muttered, "Morning folks." The smell of breakfast got him motivated to warm up by the campfire. He then asked, "Anything interesting happen?"

Parvil strolled out of his portable hole about the same time as Arc came from the tent. Still sleepy eyed he reached for his necklace like every morning but stopped himself. It'd be no good to look like a crazy person and a cursed one at that before they even traveled together so he scratched his neck instead. "Besides strange dreams not particularly. You?" He asked, filling a mug with coffee. Not his cup of tea, but coffee did in a pinch and it was already made.

Arc sighed as he replied, "Uh yeah. So like is this the part where we realize we are still in a dream and then wake up in a weird place?"

Parvil tilted his head to the sky and stepped in place in a full circle. "Nope, we're fine. Might rain later though by the smell of the air but no, your not going to wake up on some cold stone slab with the drugs wearing off just because the cultists cut into your chest." He said seeing Arc's gaze glued to him, "Personal experience tends to color your, 'what's the worst that could happen' scenarios."

"Hoope ye twa had a good sleep? The fire's braw, the grub warmed up, the sky's clear as a bell. Pure fresh air. Whit's yer ain tale, Parvil? Did the cultists slice into yer chest? Yer chest?" Asked the wee Dwarfin while sippin' his coffee looking confused.

Parvil let a slightly crazy laugh, "They sure tired." He said, "But they were pretty bad at warding again magic."

"Really? Wow, doont kew whit tae say, Parvil," remarked Kroski looking more interested now and chewing on a piece of salted ham.

Parvil responded with a shrug. "Not much to say. Friend found me just in time, blasted enough of them I could get free, we fought our way out, and I collapsed the cave entrance before we left." Parvil explained, as if he was describing the weather. "But I've shared so many stories I feel like a braggart."

Arc replied, "Wow. Well in my current state, if my whole life flashed before my eyes.......it would quite boring. Of course unless I can remember my past then it might get interesting. I wonder if that would make me a bone head?" Arch chuckled to himself as he was the only one to get the inside joke. Then he moved to get some breakfast and said, "Smells good Krosik."

"Welcome tae it, friend," started Krosik. "Next tae hame-cookit grub. Ah dae fancy trail food, aye, it's never the same an' aye better wi' a wee dram," said Krosik with a sincere smile. "As fur me an' mah past, ah grew up among giants." He then chuckled. "No' humans, real giants, an' ah learned thair ways an' a wee bit aboot runic magic." Krosik paused, thinkin' as he gazed at the fire. "Ah reckon ah covered maist o' it afore on the road," Krosik described to the others.

Parvil piled some food on a slice of bread and ate it as he took out a notebook, as he scribbled out fancy looking letters a thin glow of the same color light that came from his necklace followed in the wake of the letters seemingly erasing them from the page. He went back to eating before thin light of icy blue danced across the page. He read it and closed the book. "Giants huh?" Parvil asked. "I knew a giant once. Nice guy, could take down a tree..." Parvil stretched his arms as far as he could "this big in two swings. Really liked butter toffee."

Arc replied, "Wow.......I don't know if I ever met a giant before. It would be an entertaining experience regardless." Arch then made a breakfast sandwich before he turned his back to Krosik and Parvil as he got up and looked around. Once he was out of eye shot he slid his visor up just enough to gobble his breakfast sandwich down in a few chomps. Then he pulled out a metal straw tube to put into his drink before he fed the tube through the hole in his visor to drink from without moving his visor up. After washing down his food he said, "Ahhh...... that hit the spot. Thank you Krosik. I was feeling famished earlier. So what is the plan fer today?"

"Get to a town." Parvil responded. "My latest teleportation was..." Parvil paused thinking between a lie and honestly, "well it was an abject failure. Blind teleportation usually is a crap shoot if you don't have a good enough description of where you are going and my instructions before were...let's call them vague. Not her fault I'm dumb and easily lost."

"Ye are quite welcome, friend" replied Krosik to Arc. "Fascinatin', Parvil. I've never used teleportation afore, that must be some magic tae dae somethin' like that." said Krosik.

Parvil shrugged, "It takes a lot of power yeah, but..." he thought a moment. "Its like...imagine you lost a small key, and i told you it was near something wooden, in a house make of nothing but wood." he said, spreading his hands somewhat wide. "How hard would it be to find, its not quite a needle in a haystack...but its damn close."

Arc scratched his head as he replied, "Sounds like ya need ta see thru a bird's eyes to know where yer going eh?" Arc then turned around opened his visor and ate quickly while trying to savor the flavors. Ironically he could still taste food despite only being a skeleton.

Parvil shrugged. "That'd be to hard, birds are a pain to take control of, and seeing through the eyes of one is disorintating." he said, "Better to have someone there who can tell you how what the place looks like in detail. Or if you've been there before." he said, getting up to pack camp. "Come one fella's days lights burning. I'd like to get to town soon. I'd rather not camp in the woods a third night."

Arc agreed as he closed his visor. He was glad he had food in his non existent stomach. He got up to pack up his gear as he replied, “Yeah we should get moving. How long till we reach our destination?”

"Three quarters of the day if we don't stop walking." Parvil said. "Be there before sundown hopefully before shops close. I need to restock a bit." he said, as they finished packing and started walking. "Least according to the map. Though, not sure where I even am. So...could be longer but sure hope not."

Giving a smile and looking around. Pulling out his map out and looking at it as he walked. "Aye, Parvil I dae agree wi' yer assessment o' the distance. That is if ma map is ony gude tae," commented Krosik trying not to trip as he walked looking at the map.
LaserSexPanther — Yesterday at 11:41 PM
Parvil took a peek at the map. "Some maps are better then others, but guess we'll know once we start walking." he said, and the group headed off.
(ending it here)