Makeing Progress

[Rosie]

-Closed to Tobias- This takes place after the events of A Giant Mistake.

"Lucius..." Rosie whimpered as she a small white mouse nuzzled up against her cheek. Her petite shadow cast against the stone streets of Beinost as she walked down the central road. There weren't any notable happenings going on in the city since she returned the previous day, the streets were calm yet carried a sad embrace. Pictures of once vibrant and busy goings on and people all over raced though her imagination, these streets were beautiful once.

She had just returned, only to leave again with haste. Elias was still out there, possibly alone and in danger. Yet Rose was herein this city, forced to flee, forced to separate from her kin.

"What do we do? She asked her little companion as he quickly scurried off of her shoulder and back into her satchel. He quickly returned with a scrap of paper in his mouth. As if trying to get her to read it Lucius practically waved it in her face. She slowly reached up to retrieve the note from her friend and opened it. It was the note that Elias had left her the last time he disappeared, reading "Catch up to me -Elias". "Is that it? We need to find catch up to him..." She said as she pondered the note.

As she made her way the to the almost empty dock area, she noticed that there were a few undesirable characters that had begun to fallow her. Without ever turning around to see them she could tell there were three men with ill intent perusing her. Quickly she began to panic. What?! What could they want. There catching up fast. She thought as she could sense their minds approaching quickly.

Rosie saw an opening, she had no chance of defending herself against these men. Her only option was flight, and like always she took it. She calmly turned a corner leading back towards the main street, making it completely out of the sine of sight of her pursuers. Quickly she crouched behind a barrel that was oh so conveniently placed against a near by wall. The sound of the men picking up pace to catch Rose was echoing around her. Each man's leather boots stomping on the ground, louder and louder. This was her chance, She quickly through she satchel into her lap, opening it and reaching for on of her books. She rifles though her small collection until she finds what she was looking for, The Winds of the North. In the book there was a passage of a man having to move an impossibly large and heavy bolder. Rose put her hand over the book cover and closed her eyes. Putting all of her concentration into that one passage, Rose started to form a faint illusion of a massive bolder blocking the path between her and the men. Quickly after the outline was formed the rest fallowed as it was in the book it now existed in the flesh. A massive bolder magically appeared in many senses of the phrase, but mostly it was simply an illusion.

The sounds of confused men come and go as the continue past the bolder, maybe assuming that she climbed over. Regardless she was safe, but not any closer to finding her brother. She barley made it back to Beinost alone how would she find her brother?

[Tobias Stalt]

Ever forward, the long march drove. Tobias had crossed the known world in a few short years of his life, yet he felt like it had been lifetimes. The uniformity of buildings in Beinost robbed them of any sense of majesty they otherwise held; royal colors bled together in a lifeless panorama, which made it seem oddly beautiful, if eerie. The former soldier disliked the lingering sensation that remained in this place. Dark magic, it was said, left an imprint- no matter how many years had passed, the pock mark remained.

Most people were oblivious, but Tobias was profoundly paranoid. At the edge of Beinost and ready to embark on his journey, he felt more than ready to leave the evil place behind him. Tobias felt a prickle surge down his spine. When he turnwd his head to survey his surroundings, he stopped. Unbelievably, he watched a hulking rock appear from nothingness, and gawked. "Magic," he muttered, though far too quietly for anyone to hear.

It was the only logical explanation. He could see it, but it had not been there moments before. Rocks simply did not appear without being thrown or carried. While he boasted no affinity for magic, Tobias could claim his quick intellect. When the men who stared at the image finally moved on, Tobias stood staring at the hulking mass with arms crossed. "I shouldn't," he said. "I really shouldn't even question this. I ought to just keep moving, forget I saw this, and stay focused."

The dark clad youth let out a soft chuckle. "As if I could." He did not approach the illusion, rather, Tobias opted to use his most sought after skill. "I know you're there," he crooned softly, loud enough this time to be heard, but not nearly enough to call attention to himself from afar. "You can come out. I'm not with them."

Why he cared, Tobias did not know; what the Tactician did know was that if he could offer his help to someone, he was morally obligated to do so. How else am I to wash away this ocean of blood, he asked himself, glancing down at his hands. "Quite the obstacle you've conjured," he congratulated the unknown sorceror, "but it's quite a bit out of place. I'd have gone with a small building or something less assuming, at least."

Instead of extending his name, he offered constructive criticism. Tobias crept forward and extended his hand, brushing fingers across the outer edges of mystical influence. The image rippled but remained unchanged. His amber gaze flickered as he glanced at the edge of the city and beyond. He yearned to leave, now more than ever. Tobias had no love for magecraft, nor any need of it.

He was a gaunt youth, pale of flesh but kind in the face. His messy brown hair fell around his ears and he even had to rush it from his eyes every so often. He might have been attractive, though he made no effort to showcase it. Instead, he looked ragged, partly emaciated, and he was most often hooded. Tobias was a mere shadow in the magnificence of Elven architecture.

"Anyway," Tobi drawled, "they'll be back. Let's get you to safety, aye?"

[Rosie]

Slowly the illusion of the impossible boulder began to fade, becoming translucent before ultimately disappearing entirely. Gingerly Rose stood from behind her barrel and revealed herself to the new man. Just by his voice her seemed like he truly held no ill will in mind for her. Confident on her assumption Rose stepped out towards him. She had no leads after all, no one to help her find her brother. He was at very least not trying to hurt her.

"Th- Thanks..." She said as she tried to swallow. Taking a second to study the man Rosie noticed that he looked rather handsome, even through his rough exterior. A little white blur rushed out of the girls satchel as she open it to put away her book. It raced its way up on top of the girl's head and rested in her hair like a bed. "Lucius?! What are you doing?" She said franticly as she grabbed him with her hand and put him on her shoulder. "You know I don't like it when you get in my hair." She said as she patted him on his little white head. He simply looked forward at the man completely ignoring Rosie's words. Lucius always calmed her down and Rosie felt at ease now.

"Umm.." Rosie dragged "Im Rosie." She said as she extended a hand out to greet the man. Who knows maybe he will help her find her brother. Or just let her tag along until she reaches a safer city, without Elias she didn't feel comfortable being here for long.

[Tobias Stalt]

Tobias glanced at her hand as she extended it, then looked around as though he were distracted, listening to the sounds of the city. Footfalls and faint voices in the distance pattered and echoed like a bleak song. "Tobias," he offered as he took her hand quickly, shook it, then withdrew his hand. Even though he was helping her, the young man disliked letting people get too close. Even handshakes were beyond his comfort zone. He pulled his hood up in what may have been a nervous habit, and he pointed toward the edge of Beinost. "Let's head toward the path out of town," he told her, "it's not likely they'll expect you to leave so soon after returning."

He had watched her run into the city from outside, so he knew she had not been there long. Why the men were chasing her was not his buisness. If she deigned to tell him her plight once they were safe, he would listen, but Tobias had no intention of asking her reasons. The mercenary's gilded gaze rested on the rodent that clambered up her head and nestled in the hair there, arching an eyebrow. "You're armed," he stated. It was not a question, she would observe, as Tobias had considered her carefully. "I assume you know how to use those weapons?"

He did not wait for her response as he placed a firm hand on her shoulder and turned her around. "Y-yes," Rosie stammered in response to his question. The mouse tilted its tiny head and watched Tobias as he half pushed, half pulled the girl along beside him. "I'm capable..."

"Good," he responded, "because we can't afford for you not to be."

Her eyes darted to him in shock, but he shook his head. "Eyes on the path," Tobias said, "no sudden movements. We're not safe until we're beyond the city limits. Even then, keep walking until I say." His arm wrapped around her in a calming sort of way, and his voice dropped to almost a whisper. "This," he explained, "is how you disappear from plain view."

"Where is the girl," came the raucous voice of a man from behind them. Tobias pulled Rosie closer to his chest and obscured her form with his cloak. "Ask everyone in the city! Someone must have seen which way she went!" Tobias slipped one of his Damascus daggers silently into his left hand, just in case.

"To the left," Tobias hissed, "two watchers. At a table playing a game. Do you see them?" Rosie nodded that she did. "When I say turn, you walk down that alleyway to the right, find a place to hide, then wait for me to whistle."

"Whistle?" She asked, confused.

"Whistle," he repeated, "then hurry back to me."

Rosie did as she was told; Tobias murmured, "now," and the girl quickly turned from him and scurried down the alleyway. When she found a crate overturned, she lifted it and hid beneath. The stench of old dirt made her scrunch up her face, but she tolerated it. She stayed quiet, and listened out for the whistle.

Tobias slipped the second dagger into his right hand beneath his sleeve and his lips turned up in a bright smile. "What's the game today, lads?" He asked unassumingly, and they merely glanced up from the board for a moment, then looked back. Tobias saw one of them make an idle gesture, and he glanced up. He saw a muscular man turn and call something back over his shoulder, then disappear into a building.

"Demon's Dice," one of the men finally answered, "care to wager?"

"I've terrible luck," Tobias replied in earnest. Blood splattered onto the table from both sides. The men slumped. "And today, I'm in a sharing mood."

Both black blades slid back into their sheathes. Tobias turned quickly and made for the trees. The brigand pressed his lips together, and he let out a shrill whistle.

[Rosie]

Rosie heard Tobias' whistle and quickly responded. He seemed rather forceful, so she stood and ran back in his direction so he doesn't get annoyed with her. When Rose turned the corner of the alley and returned back to Tobias' side she froze. Frozen at the sight of the two men he had just slain. Their blood coating the table and speckling the wall, gruesome to say the least.

"We are almost there." Tobias said as he once again held her close and forced her to walk. Though she dragged her feet slightly he knew it was in her best interest to not dawdle long, and move past the bodies. It was clear that Rosie was not used to killing people, and seeing that it came so naturally to her companion was uneasy. Finally the pair made it to the edge of the city, and with it the end of their problems. In the distance was a heavy wooded area where the two could take a moment before continuing. "We'll stop up here." He said directing her towards the woods.

As the pair reached the thick foliage, Rosie broke away from Tobias, quickly turning to face him. Tears forming in her eyes as she looked up at his amber gaze. She reached up to her face and wiped the tears from her eyes. "You killed them..." Rosie whimpered.

"So we could be safe." He said in such a tone as shut up girl, "Would you have rather I left you there?" He said in the same tone.

Rose took a second before responding, normally she would have barked back some kind of half thought out response. "Thank you..." She said as she looked down at the fallen leaves scattering the ground. She continued to pause, thinking of what she should do. Alone she was simply a weak little girl, and with someone she is just a liability. "Tobias, you have spilled a lot of blood haven't you?" She asked.

"Ay, I have." his answer was simple and straight to the point.

"Im all alone, I have no friends or home." She said as she swallowed. She had not training of any kind with her blades, they were simply curiosities Elias had picked up for her. She had no training surviving alone, hunting, or gathering. Elias did all of that for her, and now Elias was not here. "I have no one..." She dragged on. "Please teach me to stand on my own feet like you." She said as she looked up to him with a great big smile pasted on her face.

[Tobias Stalt]

He watched her curiously as she smiled, all too eager to throw away the innocence she had proclaimed only moments before. "Teach you?" He snorted incredulously. "You've never killed anyone." He detected as much from her fright at the realization he'd killed the two spies. "It can't be taught," he told her, "you either have it in you, or you don't."

He ushered her into the brush with a quick motion of his hands, glancing over his shoulder. The ruckus had already begun. "They're going to keep chasing you," he observed. "But now, they know you're not alone."

With a long sigh, Tobias calmly considered the situation. "What do they want," he asked her softly, "that they've sent so many after you? It seems like a waste of manpower. No offense, of course."

He half expected her not to answer, but he lifted Blackheart over his shoulder anyway. Tobias began unraveling the bandages around the weapon almost dutifully. He watched the strange men grouping together near the bodies, thinking about how to handle the situation. There were several of them already, and gods only knew how many they were in total.

[Rosie]

Rose thought for a second, contemplating everything. These men definitely seemed to be looking for her, or was it Elias? Long before Rosie and her brother had set off on their journey together, before the death of their parents. Elias was once a part of a respectable band of mercenaries, often he would come visit her and tell tales of wonder and beauty. Telling her of all the adventures he would have with these men. But a few weeks before their journey he brought back a present for Rosie, a book, claiming that it was a parting gift from his recently left brotherhood. Then it sounded like honest, but now...

"Not here, not now..." Rosie said as she flung her satchel over her shoulder and reached deep into it, and pulling out a piece of cloth. It looked like it was a protective wrapping around a valuable book. She still to this day carries around the book in the same linen it was given to her in. "Are you aware of the Branded Titans?" Rose asked as she started to un wrap the linen.

"No, I cant say I am." Tobias replied still prepping his sword like it was a choir that needed to be done with great care.

"The are a mercenary group based in the hills of Corone. Back when my self and my brother Elias lived in Corone they were a very popular group for young men to join to make names for themselves. And like the rest of boys of our village Elias joined with them." She explained. "One time Elias told me that they were going into an underground city, a very dangerous mission he said. Not long after that Elias left the Branded Titans and him and I left for Raiarea." She continued. By now she had but one wrap to go before revealing a dark and decrepit old book. Its edges mangled, and its pages frayed, it looked like it was worth nothing.

"Are these mercenaries them?" He asked still peering over in their direction.

"I have done nothing wrong for them to be after me, but when Elias left the group he said this was very important." Rosie said as she presented the book to Tobias. He turned and took a quick glance at the worn book.

"An old worn book? These men did not travel that distance after you for just a book." He said feeling this was a fairy tale.

"Look again," She said as she opened to the first page of the novel. The writing illegible, appearing to be in a language Rosie and Tobias could not identify. All but a faint signature in the bottom right corner, it read. 'Xem'Zund'. "If they have come for Elias an myself, its for this." She said as she closed the book and began to re-wrap it.

[Tobias Stalt]

He knew enough of the Elvish script to identify it as some ancient form of glyph, but the writing he did recognize caused Tobias to clutch the book in a vice grip and stare coldly at the girl. It did not matter where she got it, nor did he want to know. "Destroy it," he said flatly. "Nothing good can come of this. Do you know what this is?" He waved the book in front of her. "This is like a cookbook for all things evil."

He felt the uneasiness of Beinost in his veins again, and he pressed the book back to her chest. "It's just a book," she protested, "on its own, it can't harm anyone. It should be kept from the wrong hands, not simply destroyed."

"What hands are right," he replied softly, gesturing to the blighted, barren waste that stretched out beyond them. Raiaera was two parts natural beauty, eight parts desolate ruin. All of that could be attributed to the name etched onto her little black book. "Tell me Rosie, what would you do with power like this? You can certainly feel the chill of death resonating from every leaf. I can. Can you taste the desperation, the hopelessness that turned to ash in the mouths of every fallen elf? There is a story to this place," he told her, "and every ounce of it drips with the still fresh memory of Xem'Zund."

There was the possibility that the Tome was not even authentic, but Tobias felt the risk far too great. "I will protect you," he said, "but I will not protect that book."

Blackheart was a stain in the midday sunlight as he stepped out from the overgrowth and into plain sight. He left Rosie to her thoughts, to decide if the book was worth that much risk to her. In the end, Tobias could only hope she would do the right thing. It was not his to do. "You there," came the confident voice of the man from before, "have you seen a lass? She was young, pretty, if a bit shy..."

"Aye," Tobias called back, "but what business have you with a wee girl? Rape and murder?"

"You ask too many questions, friend," the reply came uneasily, "and make too many accusations. I will forgive them, though, if you just tell me where the girl got to."

"Go to hell," came Tobi's' succinct answer.

[Rosie]

What... Destroy my book... Rosie pondered Tobias' words. I cant destroy my book, Elias gave me this book. The last possession I have of my home. Contemplating on what it was she needed to do, as it stands Rosie is a misfit in this land. Not readily capable of standing on her own two feet. This was a unique opportunity, a man who is well versed in the way of the blade has taken her in even if just briefly.

"Go to hell!" Rosie heard Tobias says as he left the coverage of the brush. He had engaged with one of the supposed Branded Titan mercenaries who had fallowed Rosie and Elias to this new magical land. The merc looked annoyed to say the least, he started to bare his teeth and begin to draw his shiny war ax he had holstered to his side.

This man is willing to put himself in harms way to protect me, but wishes I destroy one of the only treasures I have left. Elias What do I do? Rosie continued as she watched the mercenary quickly reach for his axe. He was quick and swung his axe at Tobias' neck letting out a loud roar of sorts. The swing startled the girl, but Tobias was indeed quick himself as she simply took a step back out of reach of the sharp blade. Though the merc didn't hit his mark his yell had attracted the attention of some near by others. Tobias Raised blackheart up, the tip of his deadly sword glistened ever so slightly in the setting sun. With a strong downward swing he cleaved the mans axe arm clean off, causing blood to spurt out uncontrollably.

Rosie hiding in the brush just stared at him as he worked. Wow,... Tobias is strong, and fast, and handsome... she thought as she witnessed the now gruesome scene unfold. It wasn't long before other Branded Titan mercenaries had quickly swarmed all around Rosie's savior. Five to one the odds stacked against Tobias. Though out numbered his composure never faulted, standing with pure confidence at his back. Rosie sat concentrating hard on breaching the minds of the newer Titan, even if just to get a read on them. To her surprise this was easier than expected as they were not concerned on defending their thoughts it seemed.

Shocked to see what the men were all thinking, Rosie against all things she knew reached into her satchel and pulled out on of her iron daggers and began to grip it tightly. A quick been of sweat dropped from her brow as she stood up from behind the brush dagger in hand. "Lucius, stay here." She said as she picked him from her satchel and set him on the ground near her feet. Also she left the wrapped book and her cloak where she was hiding to keep their goal out of sight.

Then one of the mercenaries pulled a very strange weapon from behind his back. It looked like a masterwork flint hand cannon, a very dangerous weapon indeed. The others started to circle the young man as he firmly stood his ground, not wavering in the slightest. Then it happened, a loud bang sounded all around them, echoing even into the distance. A cloud of smoke emanating from the end of the merc's barrel, but it wasn't aimed at Tobias, rather severally turned up. As if something forced it at the last second to falter. Almost instantly after the sound Rosie as nimble as a young girl ran out from behind her cover, dagger readied and aimed, slammed into the man's side.

Blood speckled her face as her dagger dug deep and hard into the mans ribcage. He letting out a loud scream fell to the ground and Rosie almost stunned to the acknowledgement of her own actions froze. She was the force behind the mans gun faltering, she had only seconds to do so, but with her telekinetic prowess forced the barrel of the gun to raise slightly and gave her an opportunity to aid Tobias. Maybe she was trying to help, or just trying to show her worth to the man,

[Tobias Stalt]

"Ah, there you are," grated the bleeding mercenary as Rosie rushed into the fray. "Couldn't stand to watch your little boyfriend throw his life away, eh?" The man hissed through gritting teeth at the agony that ripped through the stub where his arm had once hung. "I hope you know, you're both going to die."

"You talk too much," Tobias drawled as he hefted the Dehlar mass over his shoulders. He did not show that the blast from the hand cannon had unnerved him, but he could still feel tendrils of fear rippling down to his fingertips. That shouldn't have missed, he thought, then he saw Rosie with her blade in the gunner's prone form. "Finish him off and get back," Tobias called sternly over to her. The other mercenaries would be on her in seconds if she tarried.

Rosie responded somewhat amicably, despite her initial hesitation. A quick, surgical cut across the throat gave way to a fountain of crimson. The girl looked up for approval, but quickly remembered Tobias' orders. She scurried away from the confrontation a bit, giving herself more room to move. If she had to run, she could.

One of the mercenaries, an elf, held his hands out toward the leader. An orange glow, not unlike the color of an autumn leaf, permeated his form. Warm light bathed the wound, and the bleeding began to slow. "You're outnumbered, boy," he admonished, "and even with one kill under her belt, that girl won't do you any good."

He didn't notice, Tobias realized. His gold eyes never moved to Rosie, but he made the connection in an instant. By some strange force, she had intervened. The shot that should have ended his life never came close. She still had the element of surprise in her pocket. It means nothing if we can't coordinate our attacks, though.

"You're stalling? Really? All you have to do is walk away and leave us the girl. Is she really worth it?" The guard looked agitated more than ever now, and Tobias knew better than to trust his word. "What say you?"

Tobias wanted to ask what a bunch of mercenaries wanted with a Tome allegedly written by Xem'Zund, but he thought better of it. "I say," he rolled his neck, a series of pops ringing out. "Kiss my arse. Whatever they're paying you for her," he told them evenly, "it doesn't even compare to my cost."

"You're a mercenary?" The man sounded skeptical.

"Aye," Tobias smirked. "I've sold my soul for coin. I've sold it for hope. I've sold it for a chance at something better. Now, I've finally found something worthwhile in exchange." He took a step forward. The three mercenaries in front of him flinched, as if his audacity had stricken them dumb.

"Oh?" The leader of the pack let out a laugh. "What's that?"

Tobias glanced at Rosie finally, and he offered the girl a gentle smile. It was more than he gave most people these days, but it was enough to put her at ease. Something in Tobias' demeanor said, 'everything will be alright.' Tobias ripped forward with alarming speed. Blackheart fell like a headsman's axe.

Two halves of a man split apart in front of Tobias. "Honor."

Splattered viscera painted his soft face as he looked up and tugged Blackheart free of the remains. Tobias glanced over at the man to his right, and he winked. The gold haired boy, no older than Tobias, smelled as though he had soiled himself. "Two men dead," Tobias announced, "what was it you asked?" The hardened youth stood up straight. When a sword shakily came from his left, Tobias caught the blade firmly. Blood trickled down his hand. "Is it really worth it?"

[Rosie]

Rosie quickly retreated as Tobias directed her in, her hands covered in crimson blood. Had she really just done that... Did she really just kill a man... As she came to realization of what she had just done Rosie froze, almost paralyzed with a hurricane of emotions all swirling in her brain. Screams of panic fallowed by harmonious laughter, disbelief and excitement. To Rosie the feeling was indescribable.

The man whose throat she had just sliced open could not speak as he thrashed on the ground, only whimper in agony. Eyes staring dead at Rose as the light faded from his convulsing body. Then nothing, he was gone and what remained was a worthless corpse bathing in a pool of warm blood. Rosie could only let her jaw drop as tears billow from her eyes. She only capable of letting out only bitter half screams. Cupping her face with her blood soaked hands only to keep from completely loosing her self.

"Ahh..." Rosie took a shallow breath. "Wha- What have I-I-I done." She said quietly. Sobbing as she stood back away from the others. Not needing an answer for she already knew it. She had just killed a man, never had she done anything like this. But even the amount of panic she was showing on the outside, deep down she knew it had to be done. Less the man would have killed Tobias. Tobias the man who had gone out of his way just to try and help her out, even getting mixed up in her own past. There was something about him that made Rosie feel safe, that made her feel better.

"Get out of here you worms!" yelled Tobias as he ripped the man's sword from his hand and delivered a swift kick to his chest. "Before I slaughter the rest of you." He added as he threw the blade behind him in Rosie's direction. The men looked around to each other, and back at Tobias. He was convincing enough so far that he wasn't to be fooled with, but was their mission and Rosie more important than their lives.

The mercs all exchanged a series of signals before the elf spoke up. "Alright, lets get out of here." He reached down to grab his comrade and he and the others began to retreat back into the city. Soon they were out of sight, and for at least a few moments they were safe. Feeling their minds drift away from her, she also felt a wave relaxation come over her. Still stunned by the horrific sight she had created, Rosie slowly began to drop to her knees. She was not crying any more but was still in a state of shock and disbelief. Tobias must have seen as within moments he was right next to her, even dropping his blade to console her.

Crouched next to Rosie, Tobias cupped her face ever so slightly and made her look at him. "Rosie." She said to her in a southing tone, or what her felt appropriate. "Listen to me, you did good." He told he trying to calm her.

Rosie looked up at him through tired eyes, she felt his calming touch. "I.. He was going to--" Rosie started to say.

"You did good. Rosie you did what you knew you needed to." Tobias interrupted. His voice was more stern now, seeing as she was no longer panicking. Tobias stood Rosie and himself up and began to walk both of them back to the brush. Once there Rosie was still shaken but back to herself as far as that can ever be considered again. She reached down to retrieve Lucius who had been guarding her cloak. She grabbed him and the book she hid in her cloak.

Good, at least this is still here. She thought. But I still need to get back to Elias, where ever he is. Maybe I can stay with him for a wile...

[Tobias Stalt]

With a quick pat to her cheek, Tobias left the girl on her knees. "We don't have time for sulking," he urged. "They'll be back. With more men." He had enough of a soft spot to show a half instant of weakness, but it faded just as quickly. He was a veteran of a grisly war, and even lives he didn't take directly had been lost upon his orders. That made him just as guilty. He muttered to himself about the choice words he'd used, laughing softly. "Worms," he said, "I must have sounded like a real prize ass."

Rosie watched him uncertainly as he carefully wrapped Blackheart and replaced the weapon on his back. When he drew his hood, his amber gaze floated back to her. "Well?" he asked her expectantly, as he made ready to leave. "Are you coming along? They're not like to forget you. Rock illusions won't save you a second time."

She flushed. "I panicked," she retorted hastily, rattled, "I would have chosen something better, otherwise." Tobias noted the quickness with which her transgression had been forgotten. He chuckled. She would certainly relive it later, but for now, she could join the march. "Where did you learn to fight like that?"

Tobias narrowed his eyes. "First rule," he told her slowly, "we don't talk about my past unless I initiate. Got it?"

She glanced away. "Y... yes," Rosie replied. She sounded like a kicked puppy. Tobias groaned at that. "Well... you can teach me, right?"

"You want to learn to survive," he iterated, his feet crunching sticks and leaves with each step. "Keep walking. Keep your eyes open." She hung on his words, careful not to stray far from the Tactician's side. "The second you give an opponent an opening, he bares his teeth."

Tobias reached into his cloak and produced his pipe. Placing the apparatus between his teeth, the youth lit his stock and took in a breath of sweet poison. "Should you be smoking?" The girl asked. Tobias glanced over at her pointedly. She blinked, looked away, and the young man pulled the pipe from his mouth. He offered it to her.

"Go on," he told her, "it'll help ease your nerves."

Rosie shakily took the pipe from his hands and put it to her lips. She took a breath. With a series of horrible coughs, she passed it back to Tobias. "How do you use that stuff!?" She asked between hacks.

"It gets easier," he told her. That was true of many things, as she would soon learn. The first of many difficult lessons. "We'll march for half a day, then rest. Three days time til Eluriand."

"What," she seemed alarmed. "Eluriand? Why? It's crawling with the living dead!"

"I've got a job," he answered. Tobias had no qualms with the circumstances or difficulties surrounding his destination. The reality was that he had an objective, and he had to complete it. "I'm meeting some business associates on the outskirts. From there, we might be able to find you safe passage to wherever you want to go."

Rosie studied him quietly, gently stroking the mouse she cradled in her hand. The day was still young as they moved deeper into the forest, and Tobias kept an eye out for any movement. "Be aware of your surroundings," he instructed her. "If you see or hear something, make it known, but do so discreetly."

Their eyes met for a moment. Tobias looked away. "You don't want the enemy to know you're aware," be elaborated. "Knowledge is as sharp a knife as any. If you keep it concealed til just the right time..." Tobias made a thrusting motion with his hand. Rosie flinched. "See?"

The girl nodded slowly. Tobias turned from her and pointed down the path. "This way," he said. "Your weapons," Tobias recalled suddenly. "Practice with them. Whether you have a partner or not, drill constantly." He patted a dagger softly. "No matter how sharp they are, they're nothing without a guiding hand."

[Rosie]

Rosie and Tobias continued to walk along the dusty path, she meditating on what Tobias had told her. To drill herself, but for what... To kill others, to end lives. She had a hard time grasping his calm composure when he was fighting, he seemed to be completely at peace when wielding Blackheart. It was because of him that she killed that man. The image still staining her psyche, like a wave of red washing over her white dress.

"Umm," Rosie started as she reached into her satchel putting away her dagger. "Tobias..." She stopped lost for words. Tobias leading the pair turned his head slightly to acknowledge her. "You saw his weapon didn't you?" She asked

"Aye, it was a miracle that it missed." he said, his tone obviously alluding that he has sensed Rosie had something to do with the hand canon's miss fire. "But the way he was wielding that thing he seemed rather confident." Rosie seemingly slouched as she continued to trail behind Tobias. She wasn't ashamed of her powers yet, many people have shown some aggression towards her gifts.

"I haven't told you everything Tobias, those men were indeed after the tome I possess. But Elias and myself left Corone not just to run from the Titans, we left because of me." She said softly feeling safe enough to reveal her true self to Tobias. Quickly she made her way in front of Tobias and motioned for them to stop for a moment. He obliged only if to entertain Rosie's story, she paused for a moment and then looked up into Tobias' eyes. "My brother and I left our home because..." She stopped, this was harder to explain than it was to simply show. Instantly Rosie started to pick her way into Tobias' mind, feeling guilty doing so. She hadn't revealed this to him yet but she was indeed hard at work making a connection. "Do I have permission to connect with you."

"What!?"Tobias said with a tint of poison on his breath. He passionately despised magic of all sorts, she had already displayed an aptitude for the art and for all he knew was planning something malicious with it. "Connect with me, if its magic no." He said sternly.

"Ok, then let me just explain myself." She said with a slight look of fear upon her face. "I- I can influence the world around me with only my thoughts, watch." There were a few rocks scattering the path the traveled and with only her mind five started to lift of the ground. Slowly the rocks started to levitate around Rosie, "I can also read minds, and allow telepathic communication between people." She had open herself up to this man, maybe he wasn't like the rest.

[Philomel]

Name of Thread: Making Progress (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?27635-Makeing-Progress)
Judgement Type: No Judgement
Participants: Rosie and Tobias Stalt

Rewards:

Rosie (http://www.althanas.com/world/member.php?17484-Rosie) receives:
565 EXP
77 GP

Tobias Stalt (http://www.althanas.com/world/member.php?17202-Tobias-Stalt) receives:
616 EXP
66 GP

[Hysteria]

GP and EXP added.