07-22-2017, 12:43 PM
To occupy her hands while they spoke - she hated being idle - Malon produced a whetstone from her backpack and took the sickles out of their sheaths, then began to sharpen their blades while she sunk to the ground and crossed her legs beneath herself, with her back leaning against the wall. "Well, first things first... the memories are gradually coming back, as you told me. I remember flashes of... the place we were at together, and of battles that we've had. I wanted to thank you for everything."
"Don't mention it", came Tearen's response after a short break. "You have helped me too." Malon could tell that he meant more ways than her help in battle, but didn't dig any further.
"Still, thank you." She paused, gathering her thoughts, then went onto the most obvious question. "What is this place? This... encampment we're at."
"It's for the Primes that will soon come here. I've sent out an invitation for people to come here, to teach them. And to warn them about the sword of Damocles hanging above all our heads."
"I remember that... parts of it anyway." She thought for a moment. "Some powerful evil individual that could... invade this world, right?"
"Correct. I've used this year's Dante's Abyss to broadcast my warning to as many people as possible, but I couldn't deliver more than a short message. I'm hoping to enlighten those who come here with the full story."
"Is that what you mean by "teaching" them? Teaching them the full story about this... this evil invading from somewhere?"
An amused chuckle preceded his answer. "I would not be needing beds and kitchens for that. What I meant by teaching is that I intend on passing on certain knowledge and powers that I have."
"Such as?"
"Telepathy, for instance."
"And..." Malon paused, thinking about her next words. "What are the criteria for your choosing of your pupils?"
"Do you want to join? You're welcome to", Tearen replied. The way he worded his reply Malon realized that he'd led the conversation towards her asking this question like a farmer leading a horse with a carrot on their hand. Had he been able to tell that she would be interested in learning these things?
"Maybe..." she replied, but couldn't hide that her interest was sparked... no, who was she kidding. She was almost certain that she'd participate.
"The only thing I ask is that you keep your mind open for new things, though from what I could tell in Dante's Abyss that is not a problem for you. You're welcome to stay here while the remaining pupils arrive: I will explain what this course will entail and let you decide whether or not to participate. If you decide against it you are welcome to stop at any time."
"Okay, I... I'll think about it." She stood up and replaced the whetstone in her hand with a carrot that she trimmed with the sickle, and began to chew on. "I'll leave you alone now. I'm feeling hungry, so I'll cook up something. You want a portion?"
"I'd be delighted to! I'll join you to help when I'm done here."
"I'd rather not, actually. I need a little time to myself, to think... but thank you for the offer!" With that she stepped away from the shower cabins and headed into the encampment that Tearen had prepared. The first thing was to find Epona - or rather, have the mare come to her with a whistling - and remove her saddle and bridle so that she could have some time off. She took everything along to the tent that she made out as being the kitchen judging from its shape, and left the items next to the entrance where she would find them easily. Then she ducked in and began to raid Tearen's food supplies to see what she could cook up.
She wondered if he had one of these telescopic ladles that they'd been given in Dante's Abyss, too... those had been very useful when making stew.
"Don't mention it", came Tearen's response after a short break. "You have helped me too." Malon could tell that he meant more ways than her help in battle, but didn't dig any further.
"Still, thank you." She paused, gathering her thoughts, then went onto the most obvious question. "What is this place? This... encampment we're at."
"It's for the Primes that will soon come here. I've sent out an invitation for people to come here, to teach them. And to warn them about the sword of Damocles hanging above all our heads."
"I remember that... parts of it anyway." She thought for a moment. "Some powerful evil individual that could... invade this world, right?"
"Correct. I've used this year's Dante's Abyss to broadcast my warning to as many people as possible, but I couldn't deliver more than a short message. I'm hoping to enlighten those who come here with the full story."
"Is that what you mean by "teaching" them? Teaching them the full story about this... this evil invading from somewhere?"
An amused chuckle preceded his answer. "I would not be needing beds and kitchens for that. What I meant by teaching is that I intend on passing on certain knowledge and powers that I have."
"Such as?"
"Telepathy, for instance."
"And..." Malon paused, thinking about her next words. "What are the criteria for your choosing of your pupils?"
"Do you want to join? You're welcome to", Tearen replied. The way he worded his reply Malon realized that he'd led the conversation towards her asking this question like a farmer leading a horse with a carrot on their hand. Had he been able to tell that she would be interested in learning these things?
"Maybe..." she replied, but couldn't hide that her interest was sparked... no, who was she kidding. She was almost certain that she'd participate.
"The only thing I ask is that you keep your mind open for new things, though from what I could tell in Dante's Abyss that is not a problem for you. You're welcome to stay here while the remaining pupils arrive: I will explain what this course will entail and let you decide whether or not to participate. If you decide against it you are welcome to stop at any time."
"Okay, I... I'll think about it." She stood up and replaced the whetstone in her hand with a carrot that she trimmed with the sickle, and began to chew on. "I'll leave you alone now. I'm feeling hungry, so I'll cook up something. You want a portion?"
"I'd be delighted to! I'll join you to help when I'm done here."
"I'd rather not, actually. I need a little time to myself, to think... but thank you for the offer!" With that she stepped away from the shower cabins and headed into the encampment that Tearen had prepared. The first thing was to find Epona - or rather, have the mare come to her with a whistling - and remove her saddle and bridle so that she could have some time off. She took everything along to the tent that she made out as being the kitchen judging from its shape, and left the items next to the entrance where she would find them easily. Then she ducked in and began to raid Tearen's food supplies to see what she could cook up.
She wondered if he had one of these telescopic ladles that they'd been given in Dante's Abyss, too... those had been very useful when making stew.