Aeronautics, Crashing, and Recreation

[Enigmatic Immortal]

Closed to Karuka
Events take place after leaving Eiskalt.

Jensen was deep in the Ixian Castle, removing crates filled with personal effects of Ta’gaz Noshiba, his mentor. Since the dreaded Night of Debauchery, the Ixians had a hell of a back log retrieving the last will and testament of those who perished, and the old warrior had put into his Will to be one of the last people to be carried out. He knew he would die in battle, and left all his worldly possessions to the Ixians and their cause. However, there was one crate that had arrived from Ta’gaz’s old house in the Comb Mountains. It was rather light the movers had said, and strange considering the size. Jensen saw it was addressed to his father. The immortal, who had also lost his father in the same night, took the crate and signed for it. When he managed to open it there was one dusty looking book inside.

It was normal in most aspects, faded lettering in gold leaf written to spell out the words of Akashiman Kanji. Jensen didn’t care to understand the title, but he did notice the book was split into four sections, and each section was carefully wrapped and locked. The immortal had spent the better part of his day looking for a key that would open the lock, but he had found none.

He instead used a lock pick set, trying to pick the locks, but each lock he picked at had no grooves or places to actually pick any locks. He inspected further and found that each lock seemed to have no practical key that the immortal could conceive of. He skipped lunch, and looked to the book, trying to pull the lock open, throwing the book at one point in frustration. The leather bindings held as it flopped to the ground.

Jensen walked around the tome as if it was a vile creature, circling it like a shark on the hunt. He yelled at it, swore, and pleaded for it to open. He still could not get the damned thing open and he reluctantly picked it up and brought it with him to his room. The long climb up the steps into the family wing had been harder than ever since the Night of Debauchery. His best friend Zerith had moved back to Moria, Kyla Orlouge had moved into a better room with her new station as head of the Ixian Knights, and Azza, his adopted beautiful girl, had moved on in search of her own destiny. It was lonely as he cimbed the last step, and he peered to the door.

He in some ways missed the laughter and chatter, but the place had not been his home since Stephanie had died.

He flopped the book on the table, looking to it as he debated on eating in the mess hall, letting out a sigh of frustration. His moderate control over the wind took the sigh and exhaled it deeply, creating a tiny gust that blew outwards to the desk. He heard a click, and looked to see the third lock had suddenly no longer been locked.

Jensen looked to the tomb, then cursed so loudly the guardsmen down at the base of the tower gave nervous glances up to his window.

“How could I have been so fucking thick headed?” The immortal chastised to himself as he looked at the book and moved to open it. “Ta’gaz taught me the power of the wind. This is a book in his personal possessions. Of course I should have thought wind.” When he poked the book open he read the first few lines.

“The path of the Oracle is not for every warrior. A certain level of dedication is required of even the most dedicated students. It is not enough to merely master the arts of winds. To be an Oracle is to embody that element. To move onwards in the steps of mastery, Oracle’s must be trained by the master of their given element.” Jensen put the book down. Had he not already been training with a master? Ta’gaz was the oracle of the Moon, who showed mastery in Water and Wind. His own father was an Oracle. This book implied Ta’gaz didn’t teach him everything, and his dad wasn’t the final say on the matters of the wind.

He flipped the pages along until he found a large picture of a serpent with feathered wings. “The beast of the wind, Kalkun, resides upon the mountains of Dheathain. There he has trained very few warriors; few can even attempt to grasp the lessons of the divine wind serpent. For those wishing to become Oracles, they must find Kalkun and plead their case. If he finds their reasoning lacking in faith, he will devour their heart.” Jensen thought about that for a moment. “Probably why Ta’gaz had me learn the reasons why I fight.” He mused to himself.

He was sure of what he needed to do. Looking to his lonely dorm room, he went down the hall to his bedroom and grabbed his travelling sack. It was time for him to embrace a destiny of his own choosing, and not one forced by those around him. Jensen Ambrose would become the new Oracle of wind, like his father and mentor before him.

Three steps down the stairs and the immortal stopped.

“Where the Fuck is Dheathain?”

[Karuka]

Little bare feet slapped loudly on cold stone, propelling a small child further and further on toward the adventure that was outside! She'd only just returned to the castle about a week before, and hadn't wanted to leave its safety for a really, really long time. But for a Tenalach, a week without feeling the earth under her feet was an eternity, and a whole week was an eternity and a half to an eight year old, regardless. Taische burst past the big man on the stairs, throwing up her arms and giggling at the warm brush of daylight on her face.

She was followed immediately by a red and gold bird of prey, which swooped so close to the Immortal that his chest feathers brushed Jensen's hair in pursuit of the child.

"Come on, Tao! Don't fly so slow!" The raven-haired girl spun around and around, gleefully kicking up dirt and reaching for the phoenix. "Come on!" The bird chirupped down at her, extending his claws to pick her up and carry her a few feet before setting her down and sitting on her shoulders. "Stop that! You're heavy!" Little hands shoved at large claws, trying to knock the family pet off; he weighed fully a third of what she did.

"Will th' two of y' slow down just a half a second?" A golden-skinned redhead stepped out of the castle, a bag on her own shoulder and her spear in her hand. Though her words were scolding, her tone was light and her lips curved upward in a smile. "Y'll never reach Radasanth if you're exhausted b'fore we reach Underwood. Taodoine." She tilted her head and the phoenix grumbled, ruffled the tan child's wild hair with his beak, and flew to his master's shoulder.

The grown woman, mother of the child and owner of the phoenix, had only joined the Knights recently, after a return from a far away land and an invitation from Sei Orlouge. Though she had few vaunted deeds in this area of Althanas, the clairvoyant had committed many moderately important acts of kindness and courage that had left her with friends in many nations. Perhaps she was best known for her friendship with Seth Dahlios; they had traveled together for roughly a year.

If rumors were true, she could always find her way, even if there was no path to take.

Eyes blue as a summer sky lighted on the man in front of her, and she tilted her head to scrutinize him a little. "Dheathain, y're lookin' for? We're headed that way." She stepped down to meet him, her own bare feet gripping the smooth steps. "It's not close, quite a long way by boat. Yer th' one who jumped off th' stairs, th' first day I was here? I don't b'lieve we've met properly. I'm Karuka O'Sheean. Th' wee bit here is Taische, and th' fluffball is Taodoine."

She extended her hand to shake, and her child returned to her side, obviously trained in the fine art of introductions - though little tapping toes told of her eagerness to get going. She had her bag, her dolly, everything. She was absolutely ready to go!

[Enigmatic Immortal]

The great thing about being Captain of the Ixian Knights was the that most of Corone and the better areas of the world knew you. They respected the work you did, and offered whatever help they could knowing the favor would always be repayed in full and then some. Even as a knight, there were some luxuries that could be attained if you had the courage to ask. So when he talked with Karuka about the land and the journey, he had at first debated how to go about it.

Then he thought about it some more and decided upon a different course of action all together. As the Wetworks Captain, being discrete was essential, and to be honest, with all the people who wanted to take one of Jensen's many lives, it was a necessity. Sei had told him the option was usually available when needed, and that he just needed to go and ask.

Of course, what Jensen was thinking of was the teleportation creature, Misery. The monstrosity could instantly teleport people across large spans of the world, and it seemed only prudent for him to utilize the resource for this opportunity. Dhaethain would have taken a few weeks of travel, not to mention spending a lot of time idly standing around. That didn't sit well with Jensen.

He explained his plans to Karuka, who at first seemed a little apprehensive to the idea, but the more she understood the more she loved the plan with her group. As for her child, Jensen wasn't sure what to make of her. The kid was cute as a button, no doubt about it, and full of life. She had a rebellious streak that reminded him of his dearest treasure. The nagging thoughts of Azza Ambrose, out in the world discovering herself probably were intensified due to the young one.

When they approached Misery he had thought the girl would panic and be scared. Little did he know she had ran right at it, screaming in child like wonder. His grin widened on his weary face. The girl playing with Misery caused it to coo, and Jensen actually giggled at that. He felt a soft wave of stress slowly devolve from the interaction, and with a smile he whistled for Misery's attention. The beast looked to him and Jensen gave him the coordinates. In a wisp and crack of energy the wind swirled around the group and they were wisked away and in the same breath left upon the edge of a sandy beach on the island of Dhaethain.

"Thanks Misery!" Jensen shouted into the wind. He checked his companions and saw they all seemed ready. "Alright Karuka, you know this place better than me. How about you take me..." Jensen fidgeted with his pants and pulled out the old tome of Ta'gaz. He opened the page to the mountain where Kalkun resided and he smiled.

"Here..."

[Karuka]

The first time Karuka had set foot in Ixian Castle, she'd been inside a maximum of ten minutes before little Ella Orlouge had suggested Sei show her "Fluffy's room." The bond between herself and the creature had been instant, and he had even allowed her to cut the stitches binding his mouth closed. He was a friendly, gentle beast, and naturally one of the first creatures to whom she'd introduced her daughter upon Taische's arrival to the Castle.

Plant man and child had bonded like earth and rain; to Taische, Fluffy was just another playmate.

When they arrived in Dheathain, Karu's eyes closed and she took a deep breath of the sweet, humid air. She shared a soul-deep bond with this place, and being here was truly coming home. She could feel the land's song in every fiber of her being. A soft gap at her side told her that her child could feel it, too.

Wide blue eyes scanned the grasslands around the group, greedily drinking in every detail. Little brown toes dug into living soil. Corone had been a weary murmur beneath her feet. Alerar screamed in agony. This land, though... This land sang out in glorious symphony. "It's so alive, mom."

"Ay so alive." Karuka smiled down at her daughter. "After all th' mess with yer uncle Seth is done, I'll prob'ly move us out here." She took advantage of the little girl's momentary stillness to braid the wild black hair back and out of her way. The clairvoyant only took a cursory glance at Jensen's map.

"Th' Henge of th' Wind is deep in Luthmor. Y' might not even notice it's on a mountain, fer all th' brush. What d' y' think, Taische? Been a while since we saw a jungle."

"Let's go!" Taische took off at a run through the tall grass, and Taodoine grumbled, launching from Karuka's shoulder to fly after her.

The redhead laughed, following along. "He's taken his job as a big brother seriously from th' day she was born. There's never a dull moment, b'tween 'em." She looked sidelong at Jensen. "Y' have a wee lass of yer own, if I don't miss th' mark. How old?"

[Enigmatic Immortal]

The group walked along the road with an eager trot in hopes to close the distance between them and their destination. As the little one played Jensen looked back to his companion and let out a soft sigh, thinking about it. “If my math is not too far off, my little girl is now fifteen or sixteen. She left the nest a while back in search of her own path. I adopted her from an orphanage in Underwood. Long story.” Jensen smiled and Karuka gave him a pleasant smile of understanding. Jensen continued lifting his switchblade sword up gently moving some overgrowth out of the way for them to walk. “She is not a human, or elf, or anything we can think of. After trying to search Sei’s extensive archives, we were no closer to finding her the answers she sought. Then her mother died, the Cult attacked…life got very real, very quickly for her. I couldn’t keep her cooped up any longer and now she’s spread her tiny wings and flown. Miss the hell out of her, but understand that this is her journey, not mine.”

They hadn’t said much after that, making polite conversation. They discussed the affairs of the Ixians, the strange people and who Karuka could trust for what occasion. He was careful not to mention any of the major assaults against the Ixians, and the strain of a relationship he had with Sei Orlouge after the several attacks. Jensen wanted one thing, Sei wanted to do another, and it reached a point where the two went their own separate ways. Jensen pursued his war with the Cult, taking many members of the knighthood with him who volunteered, and those that were new recruits or who wanted to forget went elsewhere. The only rule was Jensen had to serve Sei when the mute needed it, and as always the Mystic only called upon him when it was dire.

Dhaethain’s wilderness was full of life as every corner of island was buzzing with activity. The larger preadators stalked through the rich environment with hisses and growls that stirred the immortal’s attention with each rolling roar. He kept a cautious eye out for the tiniest of life as well, sure that even the sting of the smallest bug could be disaster. His companions however handled the situation with different mannerisms.

Karuka was like a woman who returned home after too much time. She was at ease as she walked, a life in her step and a clip of energy in her speech as she talked. The Phoenix took to the sky often, swooping overhead and dive bombing to clip the young one in a playful game, even one nipping the immortal’s ear in a fly by. Giggling and growling the immortal waited and turned on the bird last second to blast a soft gust of wind to knock the bird higher and away. It chirped angrily, before flapping away with an indignant caw. Jensen laughed as he watched it swoop away and turned to look at the young one.

Like any good child she was exploring every nook and cranny of the jungle. She reminded him a lot of Azza when she was smaller and acted more like a kid than an adult. His jaw tightened a bit to think of how fast his daughter had to grow. Learning to fight faster than he ever wished her to. Seeing death up close and personal. His fist clenched recalling the events of the dreaded Night of Debauchery. Too many lives were ruined by the Cult of Blessed Torture. It was a reminder of why he was here. Why he was learning to be a better warrior.

“Getting late,” Jensen said observing the sun. “We can probably forge another hour of distance, but then we’ll need to set up camp. Think you can find some grub while I set up camp?”

[Karuka]

Jensen's daughter was a teenager already, nearly the same age she had been when she'd first set foot on Althanas. That was certainly old enough to travel, to fight, even to kill. It was also too young to have much common sense about the world, however strong a teenager thought she was, however smart and wise she felt, however good the training she'd received.

And the little girl who would be nine by the sunrise after next? Karuka could only protect her for so long, could only enlist so much training, could only do so much to ensure her safety and survival. But however strong their bond, Taische was still an O'Sheean, bound by destiny and dharma from birth. There would come a day - definitely by the time the dark-haired child was sixteen - that her daughter would need to answer the call of her own path. Could she manage it, this silly child who scrambled up trees and ran after the lizards that scurried away at her approach? This child bound both to fire and to earth, who would in time see the future and past as clearly as she could see the vibrant green foliage in front of her. This child who was already proficient with the staff in her hand and who would learn about bladed weapons from a man who had no choice but to be her uncle. This vibrant, precious child. Would she be all right, on the day she set out on her own?

It was a day that would come all too soon. It was a day Karuka didn't want to reflect on.

"I am sorry fer yer loss," she told Jensen. "When I got t' Jalaan, one of th' first people I met was a scribe at the Duke's court. Th' old Duke had died, an' there was strife b'tween his three sons as t' who would take over. I was already four months along with her, but somehow I got sucked int' th' mess. Was th' middle son who won out in th' end. Th' negotiator, th' compassionate one. I served as his bodyguard for years; didn't have much choice but t' settle in some, with a child comin' fast an' needin' t' raise her. Th' scribe - Patli - was at my side th' whole time, an' we were ay good friends. Never anything more, but from th' day she was born... y'd have never known they weren't father an' daughter from th' love b'tween 'em. Th' first vision she had came just a day or two b'fore he died. She saw th' arrow that took him."

Karu frowned; for months, Taische had wakened most nights in tears, dreaming of that arrow and the moments that had followed. Patli's brother, who had brought the child after her mother, told of the nightmares coming less and less frequently, but still they came sometimes. Being a clairvoyant wasn't easy, especially as a child.

She nodded when Jensen asked if she could go forage while he set up camp, and led them to a tiny clearing between a pair of gigantic trees, where they would be sheltered from the sight of some of the region's predators. "Don't touch that, Taische," she cautioned, pulling on her falconer's glove while her daughter started examining a spiny plant that grew just at the edge of the campsite. "It stings. Help Mr. Jensen set up camp, an' don't let him wander off an' get lost."

Taische turned her bright blue eyes on her mother. "But mom, Mr. Jensen can take care of himself! He's an adult!"

Karu held her hand up for Taodoine, who knew his cues and took his perch. They'd have something nice for dinner, or he was a duck. "Ay, he can. But Luthmor's a very big place, an' even someone so brave as he is might get scared if he was lost. Not everyone's a Tenalach and can find their way no matter what. Y' wouldn't want him t' be scared, would y'?"

The child pondered. "...no."

"All right, then. We'll be back b'fore y' know it, an' then everyone can eat." Karu looked over at Jensen; having Taische "make sure he didn't get lost" was more to prevent the child from wandering off into the potential dangers of the jungle than a doubt in the Immortal's own abilities. All day long, it had only been Karuka's voice and sometimes Taodoine's gentle but insistent herding that had kept her on track during the day, and now both of them were leaving into the darkness of the underbrush.

[Taische]

Taische helped Jensen clear the campsite, set up the tarps and blankets, and built a fire pit out of some rough brown rocks while he went around the immediate area gathering wood to see it through the night. "Not so much!" She scolded after one trip. "We only need a little fire, not a big one, because it's not cold and if anything comes to get us, my mom and Tao will beat it up and make it run away."

When the pit was built, the firewood piled, and the wood in the pit ready to light, she stood up and brushed some leaf litter from her knees. "We have to get some water before we can light the fire. It's this way!"

Just like that, the little girl was running off over slippery roots and through gigantic fern fronds, forcing the Ixian captain to hurry to catch up. Fortunately for both of them, she didn't lead him very far; there was a brisk little brook winding through the jungle less than two hundred yards from their camp.

Jensen raised an eyebrow, suitably impressed, and knelt down to fill his cooking pot with water. "How did you know this was here?" He'd neither heard it nor smelled it; the tiny water source wasn't exactly obvious.

"I heard it," the child answered absently, distracted by the sound of a frog croaking nearby. She tried answering it, but was a better guide than a frog by a long shot.

The antics still brought a bright grin to Jensen's face. "You have very good ears."

"I didn't hear it with my ears!" Taische giggled, holding up one very grimy foot for him to see. "I heard it because it's here! And we've gotta go or my mom will be back before we are and we won't have the fire ready."

The child, not having to be careful to keep the water in the pot, reached the campsite before Jensen. She gathered the tinder in her hands, sending a spark into it to make the dry leaves and twigs smolder. Gentle breaths brought forth a flame, so she quickly moved the tinder bundle into the kindling, tending and coaxing the fire until it crackled cheerfully. She didn't let Jensen put the water on to boil until the fire was ready, then she sat back to wait.

Karuka wasn't long in returning, carrying with her some cleaned meat wrapped in broad leaves, some native tubers, some wild herbs, and a few sweet fruits. The hungry group quickly cooked and ate the food, then settled in to relax before turning in. Taische crashed almost instantly; they had covered a long way and she still had little legs. She hugged her doll close and rested her head on her mother's lap. Her eyes weren't even closed when the phoenix settled in beside her, fluffing up and throwing a red wing over the child like a blanket.

Karu smiled and stroked her daughter's hair. She was still little enough to want the comfort of her mother's presence; all was right with the world.

[Enigmatic Immortal]

Jensen observed the moment of tranquility, following the little one into the jungle as she picked up the ingredients required for their meals from actual food to twigs for fire. When they set up camp the knight had sprawled out under the skies, looking to the stars as the sweet scent of food wafted to his nostrils, giving him a powerful sense of ease like he was home in the castle again. He lifted one leg, balancing it over the other, letting it dangle as he peered to the sky full of illumination, smiling mischievously.

“Something on your mind?” Karuka asked, rotating the spit of the meat and managing to stir the pot with the practiced ease of a woman at one with the world. Jensen shrugged his shoulders, and the red head let out a joyful chuckle of intuition. “Oh ho, there is, and she’s dancing around in that head of yours.”

The term dance flushed the immortal’s face far redder than he intended, and the grin cracking at his lips made the little girl giggle as the phoenix perched on a tree just above them, the branch low enough to keep in the group. Jensen placed both hands over his head as he thought about the woman on his mind, but he said nothing, just keeping to himself.

“Don’t want to tell me? Fine, I don’t need names! But I can see it clear as day on you!” Her ladel jabbed in his direction playfully and the immortal gave her a non-threatening glare. “Dinner will be ready soon, love, go to the river nearby and wash up.” The little one nodded as the phoenix lifted and followed her, the two moving in playful bounds. “You are not what I expected, Jensen Ambrose.”

“What exactly was that supposed to mean?” he asked with a laugh.

“There are many a rumor about you floating around the castle. Jensen the dour, Jensen the grim,” she mocked each moniker in heavy accent making them both break into soft laughter. The immortal shrugged again. “Mostly, I have heard rumors that you have been losing control of yourself.”

“Hate to say it, but that’s not a large stretch of the actual truth. My war with the Cult of Blessed Torture is a two front fight. Physical and Mental battling is hard, even for an immortal like me.” Karuka only nodded to him, tasting the ladle and nodding in satisfaction a bit more sternly as she observed the immortal look up to the sky once again. “Pretty stars,” Jensen mumbled. “Reminds me of someone.”

“She must be special to you,” Karuka said knowingly.

“Ya, too bad I pissed her off. Completely forgot I had a lunch date with her before we left. Ha…sent a runner to apologize. Think she’ll probably bury me to my eyes for that one.” Both laughed again. Jensen sighed as he looked out, gazing as he observed the beauty around him. “I am here to fight better,” he said more sternly. “To protect things like your little one and my girl. The ones I care about and the ones that I…” Jensen thought about the desert vixen in his mind. “I suppose have a connection of some kind with.”

There was a pause before a gentle breeze blustered over them, Jensen looking back to Karuka to smile when he observed two large, red eyes looking back at him. His heart suddenly quickened as he slowly moved a hand to his knife, noticing Karuka slowly moved towards her spear. The creature pulled back, licking the air, and the wind shifted again, threatening to blow the fire out.

“Why are you here,” the creature hissed, its serpentine language taking a crude form of common tradespeak. Jensen looked to it again, fully, catching at the green scales that shimmered in the moonlight, the red light of its eyes matching leylines on its own slim body. It slithered upwards, though he noticed it hadn’t yet coiled upon itself, rising easily above six feet. It looked down to him, and then he saw it. Four glittering red wings of feathers flapped to keep it aloft, a headdress of similar of feathers fanning out as it waited for his answer.

“I came because I wanted to learn to fight,” Jensen admitted, his eyes hypnotized by the creatures crimson glare. It looked to him, tail lifting up and snapping again blowing the fire back into ascension. Karuka kept her wits about her as she leveled the staff at the creatures exposed back, prepared to fight on a moment’s notice.

The beast hovered forwards, wrapping around the air itself besides Jensen, looking him up and down. The wind followed in the wake of the serpent’s movements, and his neck, if a creature like this could have one, had an amulet that shimmered in a soft blue hue. Jensen felt its scrutiny intensify as it hissed, licking the air letting the wind tease Jensen’s red tipped curls up.

“You’re an Ambrose,” the ‘s’ sound trailed in its speech, and Jensen tilted his head as he nodded once. “I have met an older version of someone with your scent.”

“That would be my father,” Jensen sighed. “Apologies for the stench he left.”

There was a moment of silence before the creature looked up, eyes shut, and it convulsed before a powerful gust of wind escaped its mouth, followed by laughter. Jensen cracked a grin, not exactly sure what to do, but he looked back to Karuka and gave her a motion to lower her weapon. The immortal stood back up looking to the creature, getting the full measure of it. It didn’t touch the ground at all, instead hovering with its four wings lazily flapping to keep it aloft.

“Why do you fight?” his words were sickly, and the way he hissed made his heart beat a skip, but calmly, as if his whole life had known this answer, he spoke with clarity.

“To define what I am,” Jensen replied. “And to knock the heads in of those who threaten who I protect.”

“A honest answer,” the sentient snake said. “But not one filled with creativity, or one I haven’t heard before. Prepare yourself then, human. I am about to test your very limits.”

“Try me,” he whispered. The creature looked back to Karuka, seeing the little one and the phoenix hiding in the brush. With a shake of its head a powerful wind exposed the child.

“A child!” he cooed, and with a snap he moved forwards, wind dragging behind it as it coiled and spun around the girl. “I have not seen one in ages! Hello! I am Kalkun! What is your name?”

Jensen gave a deadpanned, confused look to the beast, slowly trailing over to the mother of the kid. She too looked to him, staff in hand, ready on a whim, but held back. The hostility of the beast was non-evident, and it merely moved around the kid, eyes filled with…joy. It was strange and the knight wasn’t sure what to make of it.

Then with a chuckle he moved towards the dinner, surmising that in the grand scheme of things, of everything he had seen, this wasn’t even remotely all that odd.