The Ghost from the dust

Ardin Vics walks through the land, starving to death but cannot die, left his empire and throne behind, dead to all his people, the assasin wears a cloak over him and his weapons, as he searches for an escape, a small place to live and watch the world go by. He comes across the valley, and climbs down the cliff walls, looking around, "This seems nice" he stumbles over to the river, and takes a long drink washes the sand out of his hair, and eyes. Ardin had Traveled a long distance for years, now tired he decides to rest near the waters edge, bow and arrow in his lap as he waits for any animal to come for a drink, time not of the essence. He couldn't help but feel there was something drawing him here.

The young elven girl walked down the narrow path, a bag slung over one shoulder, an open book in her free hand, which she was reading as she walked. She looked to be about sixteen years old, by human recognizing, with long black hair carefully woven with silver links and pearls. She had wide, guileless brown eyes, her features soft and innocent, unburdened by the world. She wore the vestments of a novice cleric, and around her neck hung a pendant carved with the symbol of the goddess Aurinia. The novice carried no visible weapons, unless one counted the six foot long staff she used as a walking stick. The staff seemed to tower about the elven girl, for she was a small, slender thing, topping at barely five foot in her stocking feet. She continues down the path, which was little more than an animal trace, her nose buried in the book, unaware of her surroundings.

Meditates on the rock, listening to the sounds of the wild, waiting for an animal to come for a drink, perfectly still, he was young, but held himself with much honor and wisdom. he sat there, almost died, his stomach empty, for days. getting weak. eventually he spots a deer across the river, coming to drink, very cautious to it's surroundings, his movements at smooth, and slow as he raises the bow from his lap, steady and firm, pulling the arrow back, the fletching brushing against his cheek as he stares down the shaft at his target, aiming the stone head arrow at the deers eye, just about to release the nock when a small fawn, comes out of the bushes behind the doe. he sighs and slowly lowers the bow and puts slack on the string putting the weapon back in his lap, to wait for the next animal, crossed legged on the rock, black cloak over him, the back of it hanging down to the sand.

Svenia put the book away when the light grew too dim to read by. She frowned, realizing that she should have been looking for a good camping space for the last hour instead of reading. Hurrying down the path, she found a likely looking spot near a small stream, and dropped her pack. After rummaging around in the forest, she found enough firewood to last the night - IF she could get a fire going. Remembering last night, how cold it had gotten after her failed attempt to light a fire, she was determined to do it this time. Luckily, she managed to light the tinder on just the fifth try, and quickly got a tidy blaze going. Her face lit up, happy with her success. Humming a small tune, she opened her pack, taking out a hunk of fresh veal she had been given that day, after healing a farmer's broken leg. Taking out a pot, she cut the meat up into small chunks, adding a few vegetables as well. Soon enough, the savory smell of stew began to hover in the air, and she went down to the stream to wash her hands.

Opened his eyes after his concentration was broken, the smell of cooking meat, getting to him, he looks around the area becoming dark, as the sun began to fall, the assassin, stands up on the rock, bow in his hand, other hand resting the nock on the string ready, he hops off the rock and moves along the side of the river, following a side stream, carefully to not make a sound, feeling him elf fading, his sight beginning to blur from the hunger. Stopping as he spots the young elf by the stream.

She didn't notice the man right away, and after washing her face and hands, she turned to go back to the camp she had set up. Halfway there, she stopped, turning back to the stream, a sense of unease taking hold of her, feeling eyes on her. "He-Hello?" she called nervously. She bit her lip, trying to place where the feeling was strongest. "Is someone out there?" Her mind cast for any spell that she could use, but her mind was blank, to scared to think straight. Her hand crept up to touch the medallion around her neck, and she felt her mind clear somewhat. "Limus - I mean, Lumos!" she cried out, and a bright flash of light light up the area surrounding her, just long enough for her to glimpse a man-shaped figure by the stream. However, the downside to the spell was that she was left temporarily blind by the flash. "Who- whoever you are, come out where I can see you!" she called out, rubbing an eye to try to clear her vision.

lowered his head so the hood would shield his eyes from the light, and he quickly aimed his bow at the source, about to release when he heard the girls voice, lowering it and moved forward "Im sorry to startle you miss, but I'm very hungry would you be able to spare anything before I die" he hated to ask, but it was getting to dark to hunt now, and he was almost gone and wouldn't last the night.

Now that her eyes were adjusted back to the dark, she could see him moving towards her. Seeing how sunken his cheeks were, she gasped. "Oh you poor thing, you starved to death!" she squeaked out. Stepping forward, she grabbed his hand and tugged him into the light of the campfire, sitting him down on her sleeproll. "Here, it should be just about done," she commented, turning to the fire and ladeling him up a huge portion of the stew, tearing off a generous portion of a loaf of bread as well. She wrung her hands together after she had handed him the food. She thought she should be doing something more to help him, but for the life of her couldn't remember if her teacher had gone over how to heal someone who was near starved, other than with food and rest. "Please sir, eat all you can, but not too quickly. Let your stomach adjust to the food, you look like you haven't eaten in days!"

Takes the food generously, and took a bite of the bread "I thank you very much miss, I haven't eaten for weeks actually" Ardin takes a sip of the stew and coughs, his dark Grey eyes look over to her and he takes another sip of the stew, "So where is you escort? this is a long ways away to be by yourself" he looks around and bites into more bread.

Smiled over at him, finally taking a seat across the fire from him, nibbling on a small hunk of bread, leaving the rest for him. "I don't have an escort." She informed him, taking out a canteen of fresh water. "The temple told me that I must learn to make my way in the world, so they sent me out alone." she smiled over at him. "By the way, my name is Svenia Veridir." She introduced herself as she held out the canteen to him, looking at the bowl she'd handed to him. "Do you want some more stew?"

Ardin smiled and handed the bowl to her "Oh I wouldn't want to rob you of your dinner, this should be enough for me, taking the canteen, taking a drink of the water and hands it back "It is just nice to have something in my stomach now" he bows his head to her "Ardin Vics, I thank you kindly for the meal, So how may I ask is your journey going?"

Took the bowl with a smile. "Its probably best if you don't put too much in your stomach all at once either, you can get very sick that way after not having eaten in so long." she declared, then blushed lightly. "Its been going alright so far, I've only been out of the temple about five days now. Other than healing a farmers broken leg, I haven't done much," she frowned. "They did warn me about a small group of orcs roaming these parts, but I haven't seen hide nor hair of them."

Nods his head, bites and swallows the last of his bread, "I haven't seen anyone but you on the way here" he removes his cloak, and puts it aside, he wears light armor, a sword and rope on his belt, and a shorter blade sideways on his back of his waist. he wears gloves with no fingers, a necklace with a leather strap and an unknown symbol for the amulet. the a quiver on his back that he straps off and puts to the side, next to his black and silver bow. "Well If you like I will watch out for those Orcs for you, since you have been kind enough to spare me a meal"

Smiled at his thoughtfullness. "Thank you, but you should probably get some sleep." she gestured to the empty bowl. "Please, I could never let anyone go hungry when I could help them. And besides, I don't need as much sleep as you humans do."she pointed out. "Take your rest, I will wake you if I hear or see anything." Opening her bag again, she pulled out the book she had been reading before, opening to the point where she had left off, a red ribbon marking the page. Leaning against the bag, she made herself comfortable, sitting so that the firelight wouldn't create shadows over the pages.

Bows his head and lays himself down, and pulls the cloak over him as a blanket "Please make sure you wake me if you hear something, I hate to be killed while camping" he puts an arm under his head and falls to sleep, letting himself drift away. until it was time to wake

She smiles, and reads well into the night, before finally putting the book away to catch a few hours of sleep before the sun rose. She woke about an hour after sunrise, pulling an apple out to eat as her breakfast, leaning her back against a tree, the book back out and across her lap, waiting for him to wake.

Had woken as soon as he heard her move, though he was human, his life as an assassin had strengthened his senses, he kept his eyes closed, listening carefully to his surroundings. an hour later he rose, and looked at her. "What are you reading? I've been listening to you turning the pages for a while now".

Looked startled for a second, not having heard him move. 'oh! i'm just studying my spells and such." she blushed lightly. "Not that I can cast too many of them. The best I can do right now is heal minor wounds, I got lucky with that broken leg." she admitted. "I'm still a novice healer."

Puts his head on the ground and looks up at the sky "Those who study to much never learn the true lessons in life, there are things you can not learn by a book, you must find a way on your own" he lifts his head up and looks at her, sitting up, and stretching, "So your a healer, thats good to know,"

She nodded lightly, hugging the book to her chest. "That is why I was sent out, to be able to get some hands on experience. But I still feel better, having the book with me, just in case." she smiled brightly and laughed shyly. "Besides, one of my teachers said that traveling will do me good, he thought I have lived too sheltered of a life."

Ardin smiled and laughed "You will never truly live or understand life till you have seen it to the end" the man grins, and looks around "Now if you may let me now where you got that apple" he stands up, pushing his back, and stretches. "I hope you dont spend all your time in that book, you should relax a little, just look at the world around you"

"Oh, there's an apple tree near the stream. I picked a handful of them." she tossed him one, wincing as her aim was off, the apple going about a foot too far to the side. "Sorry. I hope its not bruised." she closed the book and smiled. "Your awfully philosophical."

Waved his hand with a chuckle, picking up the apple, breaking it in half with his hands and bit into one of the halfs "One would be if you've been around as long as me" he smiles and puts the amulet in his shirt, under the light leather armor. checking to see if all his gear was still there, "I would like to explore more if this valley if you would like to remove yourself from that book and join me"

She chuckled and put the book away, slinging her bag back over her shoulder. She had cleaned the pot and utensil's last night, so she didn't have to worry about them now. "I suppose I can do that, ff you don't mind having me along, the companionship would be nice." she admitted. "Is there something particular you are looking for in this valley?"

Ardin looks through the trees, and takes a deep breath "I escape from the greed of man and to look apon the world with eyes unclouded" he puts his cloak into his satchel that he slung to his side, and put the quiver and bow on his back, and made sure that his sword and rope were secure, the rope was tied up next to his sword and seemed to attach to the hilt. "Lets go, I am always happy to travel with someone of innocents"