Out of the nest and into the world.

In the morning we gathered around a table for breakfast. Lim was talking...about what I can not recall. Lim talks frequently, and in circles. Alloriah chirping in every now and then. I, I was eating, and looking around the dining hall. Contemplating on what as to come, and how little we knew about this Monastery. I do not care to dive headlong in to the unknown, on blind faith.

After breakfast a messenger came to us and requested we reconvene in the meeting hall in a few hours. I got up and told the others I had business to attend to before our meeting. Walking outside I watched the men and women here working. Wandering inside the smithy I was pleasantly surprised to find Darren lifting boxes and doing, whatever they do in there when one is not hammering away at the anvil. I stood and watched him for a few moments. He seemed contented. Stepping forward out of a shadow and into his sight I was greeted by a large floppy smile. I told him that I would be leaving with the other two sometime this morning, and that I wanted to say my farewells to him. I was assaulted with two large, very large, very well muscled arms encasing me and being lifted well off the ground in a hug. I was told, also to take care of myself. I had a feeling that he sincerely meant it as well. The "Or else I'll have to come looking for you" clenched the feeling.

Walking away toward the left side of the complex I spotted a young man working in a garden. I stayed in the shadows of a nearby building watching him for a bit. He seemed content enough working, not complaining or stopping. Young for a human, mayhaps sixteen. I approached him and offered a trade. Knowledge for care. He would care for my herbs, and in exchange I would teach him uses of them. He looked me up and down and accepted my offer. I brought him inside my room, and told him what to do for each pot, I then told him the key would be available for him to pick up after I left from one of the guards. Our agreement made, he left hurriedly.

I gathered my pack, and a package of more personal things, and left for the meeting room. I was the second to arrive this time, literally right behind Master Crow. He took his respective chair at the head of the table, I approached him, package in hand. I asked him to keep this in a safe place for my return, and upon not returning to make arrangements to have it sent back to my homeland. He nodded gravely and accepted the package. I then took a seat to his left hand side and awaited the others arrival.

Shortly Lim, Alloriah, and Vernin filed in and sat down. Then it began. The Monastery we were being sent to was said to be abandoned. On the lands belonging to a Countess Della Hanna. A great battle was fought there some time ago. There was rumored to be a amulet of power left somewhere within. We were to find and retrieve it, before another fraction arrived. Firstly though we were to secure the Monastery for our group. There would be men sent to rendezvous with us at the Monastery, after we secured it. As for the other fraction not too much was known about them, save for they wanted the amulet as well. Stories of men dressed like beasts, attacks...in short fantasy tales. But, behind every story...

Well enough. After asking a few question that had unknown answers we were ready to leave. Packs were waiting at the gate. Vernin easily hefted the largest of them upon his back. Each of us took a smaller one. We nodded to each other and headed out. I let the other walk in front of me, and was last. Looking back over my shoulder, I saw Darren rushing up and pushing through the crowd. He stopped short at the gate. Letting out a tremendous smile he lifted a well muscled arm and waved farewell. I smiled momentarily, and lifted a arm up on response before turning back to the group and catching up. I did not allow myself to look back again.

Four, five, six days we traveled. Camp was made and watch was set each night in turns. Our travel passed with out incident. After the first few days Vernin carried my small pack as well. Scouting ahead with the pack was too noisy and cumbersome. Lim's eyes narrowed at Vernin's offer, but I ignored it, and offered the boy a sincere smile. As well as my pack. Through out our journey we chatted, often ending the conversation with; "Just one clean cut Lim, that all it will take.", and Alloriah giggling. As for Vernin he was pretty quiet, offering his opinion here and there. He liked to run. Also, he cooked fairly decently.

Finally we found ourselves on a road stretching left to right. It was overgrown, not overtly so, yet no one had traveled upon it for some time. To one side was a town called Ja'Du, to the other was the Countess' manor. We turned toward the Countess' side. If what we were told is accurate, traveling this way for half a day then turning off the road we would reach the Monastery but early afternoon. Traveling through forest did not prove difficult, there was a clearing, a small one, when we stepped into it, a herd of horses broke out into a gallop. Its stallion leading them away. I could almost imagine I was back home.

Almost.

Shortly after, well, shortly the way I measure time. Mayhaps another half of a hour. We reached the bottom of a rather large hill. Making our way up the hill we laid our eyes upon the Monastery. It was ruined, and in ruins. A dilapidated structure that looked like it was hit by a war. There was a few smaller buildings set before the main one, but it was all in ruins. The others seemed to have the same reaction that I was having. Confusion, apprehension, and disgust.