Heroes of Echoa- Full

[amithethird]

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➴ Zachariah "Riah" Temple
➴ bow party - the bow hero
➴ location: council chambers
➴ tagged: aelwyn, lior
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It's amazing how adaptable the human mind is. If you settle comfortably enough into a certain routine, it can feel like you've never done anything else, and it isn't until that routine is broken that you realize just how long you've kept it. You remember that your life didn't used to be like this, and it can be jarring. It can shake you right out of whatever comfortable rut you've settled into, violently and without ceremony. In some ways, returning to old habits can be more shocking than encountering something completely new that you weren't prepared for. It's just one of those things you don't know how you'll handle until you experience it.

Riah really would have liked to know ahead of time how he was going to handle this, though. Maybe then everyone's first impression of him wouldn't have been him shouting just about every swear in the book, first in surprise at suddenly being spirited away, and then in shock at actually having used real swear words for the first time in a few years and breaking a streak he hadn't realized he cared about.

Safe to say, it was a rough day.

But now things were going a lot better. He was far more oriented, far more calm, and he'd had time to think about everything these people had told him.

Insane. Completely insane.

That phrase had been pretty much stuck in his head since he arrived in Espia, and he had no real choice except to just go along with everything and do his best to keep up. Magic was real here. The bow they gave him was magic. He was supposed to use the magic bow to help them. How was he supposed to help them? He didn't know, but he wasn't allowing himself to panic about that just yet. He'd just gotten here, and if he was patient and kept his ear to the ground, he'd figure it out before long.

Some part of him kept asking if he even wanted to help them - the voice of that petulant child he'd never quite managed to get rid of, only figured out how to live with. After all, what right did they have to rip him away from his life and tell him what to do? Why did they think some rando from another world would be able to fix their problems? Couldn't they just send him back? They'd brought him here, after all. It couldn't be a one-way trip, could it? He'd wrestled with these thoughts most of the night, and the only answer he had for that little voice was, again, to be patient. There was supposed to be some kind of meeting today where he'd be meeting his "party." As he understood it, these people were supposed to help him in his "quest" which he was certainly all for. Maybe they'd be able to give him more information about all of this. Then he could decide whether or not he wanted to make a big fuss about them sending him home.

When the time came to go to the meeting, he hastily made his way through the twisting, elegant hallways, eager to get this over with, but when he finally reached the door to the council chambers...he hesitated. Suddenly his heart wouldn't stop hammering, and he felt more out of place than ever standing there in his jeans and light jacket. The jacket was standard issue for Camp Sylvan's staff members, and it had the name and logo embroidered on the right breast in cheery light blue thread. He could almost laugh at the irony of it. If he'd known this was going to happen, maybe he wouldn't have signed on as a counselor at a camp with a name commonly associated with fey.

He took a deep breath and adjusted the bow and quiver slung over his shoulder. At least he knew how to handle that. The last thing he needed right now was to be fumbling around with a legendary magical weapon on top of looking like a complete outsider. He'd hoped keeping his own clothes instead of changing into the ones provided for him would make him feel a little safer, but now he realized that was a mistake. Was it too late to turn around and leave?

Just go inside, you idiot.

He buried his anxiety and pushed open the door.

The room was much bigger than he was expecting, and he immediately felt intimidated by the number of chairs and tables he saw. Where was he supposed to sit? He tried to wave that anxiety away as well and instead focused on the people already here. There was a blonde male elf and a gray-haired female elf already seated on the periphery. Maybe they would know. He put his hands in his pockets and walked over, trying to appear relaxed even though his mouth was rapidly going dry.

"'Scuse me. You guys mind explaining to me how this is supposed to work? I'm a little out of my depth here. If it wasn't obvious," he said with a genial smile.

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❅ Solace Argent
❅ shield party - the sword
❅ location: the great hall
❅ tagged: liv
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One should never underestimate the value of purpose. Even people who claim to have no ambitions or lofty ideals have something keeping them alive and moving forward, even if it's just excitement for their next pleasure-seeking adventure. Without something to push you forward, life becomes stagnant and very difficult to tolerate, much less enjoy.

When the call went out looking for capable people to guide and protect the newly arrived Hero, Solace thought this must be his lucky break. The past year had flown by in a haze of aimless wandering, selling his skills as a swordsman to any person in need of an escort across Friola's countryside, and searching in vain for something - anything - he could dedicate himself to. He'd never had this much freedom before, and he'd never gone this long without some feeling of certainty about where he was headed. As a child, his purpose was to protect his family. Then it was to serve the warlord's daughter who had won his loyalty. Then it was to escape. And now...? He didn't know. There wasn't anyone around to tell him what to do, and he'd underestimated how terrifying that could be.

But maybe that was behind him now. As far as causes went, he couldn't have picked a better one. Aiding a legendary hero in their quest to bring balance to the realm was the kind of fantasy he would have only entertained when he was still a child, and yet, that was exactly what he was here to do. Walking through Friola's capital, staring at the impressive architecture and watching the diplomats make their rounds. He certainly didn't look like he belonged there, wearing his dark, tattered cloak with a well weathered sword at his side, but that didn't bother him. He wasn't here to impress the nobles. Asking around, he was able to figure out what the apparent "plan" was for today, and he decided now was as good a time as any to make his way to the great hall.

The hall had certainly earned its name. It was beautifully made and equipped to hold dozens of people within its walls. For a moment he was distracted by the way the light played off the walls as it filtered in through the windows, and he almost didn't notice the comparatively tiny woman wandering around the room. At first he thought it must be one of his fellow party members, until he noticed the shield strapped to her arm.

Well, she certainly didn't look like a legendary hero, but he wasn't about to write her off out of hand for that. You could never really be sure of what someone was capable of just from looking at them. That was a lesson he wasn't about to forget any time soon. He made his way towards her.

"I suppose you're who we're all here to meet," he said as he approached.

Wow, she really was small. It wasn't just the room. She was almost a whole head shorter than him. He stopped a respectful distance away from her, not wanting to scare her by getting too close and looming over her.

[♡ Pineapple ♡]

乙乇尺ㄖ - ㄒ卄乇 尺ㄖᎶㄩ乇
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[ location - town center ] - [ Male ] - [ 22 ] - [ tags - open ]
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Zero started out the morning in a rather usual routine. Although he was aware that his day demanded a little more excitement that could wait. He sat up on the metal bed stretching his arms and back listening for the satisfying cracks and pops of his bones. He was going to be getting out today, so thankfully this was his last time with the uncomfortable bed.

He had to go to the courthouse one last time before being set free, he went over to a bucket of water in the corner of the cell and washed his face before getting changed into a set of fresh prison garments. It wasn't long before a group of officers showed up to the the cell. He gave them a playful smirk "Im flattered, they sent all of you to just take me? Come on you guys know I don't bite" he cooed as he put his arms out with an innocent smile.

He stood still as the chains were put around his body, he was about to be set free they couldn't honestly think he would be stupid and try to run off at this point. But again he was a dangerous criminal and he assumed there had to be some sort of protocol. Once everything was secure they proceeded to walk out of the cell and into the halls of the prison area. The municipal building was huge, having the jail and court be in the same place as well as the police station allowed them to be able to secure prisoners of his level more accurately.

Once they got in to the courthouse he looked over at the jury and offered a smile, they were the reason he was being set free after all. He had them all fooled, he was made to pledge his alliance with the country and whatever. He didn't bother to listen its not like he was gonna follow whatever rules there were anyways. Eventually the hearing was over and he was declared free. He was taken to a back room were he was given his personal belongings and the chains were taken off.

He changed into his black attire, man he had surely missed his clothes. As he walked down the steps of the courthouse he took in his surroundings, it had truly been a while. First things first he needed to go et something to eat, he was starving. He made his way to the center of the town taking some money out of his pocket. He had taken it from one of the officers when they weren't looking. They had made it wayyy too easy. He began looking around at the food stands wondering what he should get.

Eventually his eyes settled on some jerky, he paid for some and made his way to the center of the town to sit down and enjoy his food. He still had to figure out exactly what he was going to do, he couldn't just abandon the party off the start, he needed the officers to have their guard down. So he would probably have to stick with them until they went on a mission, then he would part ways.

丂卂Ҝㄩ尺卂 - ㄒ卄乇 爪卂Ꮆ乇
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[ location - The Great Hall ] - [ female ] - [ 21 ] - [ tags - Liv & Solace ]
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A droplet of sweat rolled down her forehead as she threw herself to the side avoiding a boulder sent her way. She remained silent through the duel calculating each step with precision. She had been challenged to one last duel before leaving, here it was their way to show affection, but was she going to loose? absolutely not. Her departure had been quite a controversial topic. A lot of the group members didn't think she could do it, they always kept underestimating her. Although she had beat them multiple times they still saw her as weak.

It wasn't a difficult decision for Sakura, although they were basically the only family she had. She never felt at home with them, leaving would open up new opportunities and no body there really knew her. She moved swiftly along the sides of the ring her eyes steady of the opponent. Raising her hands she prepared to make her move. "As source of thy power I order thee defy the laws of nature and Fire wall!" A wall of fire surrounded her opponent and she charged using the wall as cover it was harder to see what she was doing she approached from behind jumping through the wall and kicking him down .

The rules of the duels were simple first one to knock the other over won, they didn't use weapons because... well they couldn't afford any. They had tried with broomsticks before and it just simply didn't work. She gave her friend pat on the back "Come on you had to be going easy on me" She teased as she offered a helping hand to help him get up. The two reunited with the rest of the group outside of the ring. They ate breakfast together before Sakura disappeared to her quarters to get herself cleaned up.

She had sold most of her things already, only keeping the essentials for travel If she needed anything she would just buy it. Coming out she said her goodbye's to her team, she had grown a lot with them but it was now time for even bigger things. She left the arena walking out into the busy streets of the capital. She started making her way to the Great Hall were they were meeting. She had to pass through the different sections of the city, the Arena was kind of close to downtown but it was still in the south.

It took her a while to get in the building. A small dispute with the guards, she always hated the way things were managed here. The least they could do was let the guards know what everyone that was supposed to be arriving looked like. That way confrontations like this could be completely avoided. Although were they really to blame? When you think of a powerful mage I'm pretty sure a tiny woman dressed in white tunic was not what you would think of. She advanced through the halls of the building eventually ending up in her destination.

She spotted two figures already in the room her eyes landing on the shield, so that was their hero and the other person had to be a party member. She kept her distance not really wanting to interrupt a conversation. Her mind couldn't help but wonder what they would be doing today.

[Aniki]

𝑀𝑎𝑦𝑎 𝐴𝑙𝑐𝑎𝑟
x the tracker • bow party • female • mentioned: • tagged: aelwyn, lior, & riah
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Maya knew she was running late to the meeting. She was so far out of her element as she tried to navigate the streets of Amssari. She was so certain that she would have been able to find her way no problem - I mean people always say that a city is another type of jungle - but that was so far from the truth that the next time she heard someone say that she would punch them. She was walking around with a map of the city in her hands and while it would be clear to anyone who walked by her that she was lost no one took a few minutes to ask her where she was going or if she needed help. Another reason why she hated the city. People were always so adsorbed in their own little worlds that they didn't take the time to break themselves out of their bubble for just a few minutes.

Maya was about to give up when she spotted a few city guards standing around. She all but ran over to them.
"Please, please tell me you can give me directions to the place where the counsel meets? I'm beyond late." One of the guards raised a brow at her. "And why would I do that? Maya felt herself bristle. Her good mood had been ruined ten minutes after she entered the city. "Because I was requested. Here take a look here at my letter if you don't believe me." She all but shoved the letter against the guard's breastplate. Upon reading the letter his bored expression turned into one of awe. "You're... You have been... To help the champion!? He cleared his throat and offered to escort her there but she simply told them that she just wanted directions and she could handle it from there. He showed the way on the map and with a small, two fingered salute she was on her way.

The building where the chambers were located was nothing short of amazing. It was the most grand thing she had ever seen. Maya walked slowly in a circle as she looked up towards the ceiling. The country Elf was stunned at the whole thing. Getting a grip on herself she hurriedly made her way to the chambers. She ignored the looks of disgust from those who passed her by. Everyone was wearing just fine robes while she was in a pair of dark brown, dust covered pants with a sleeveless sage green top covered up by a light brown over-shirt that fell just before her midriff. Her clothing was definitely not suited for where she was about to enter, but she was a practical girl.

When she finally made it to the doors of the council chamber Maya took a deep breath bouncing back and forth on her toes as she shook her hands to try to get the jitters out now. Standing up tall and proud she slid the doors open. Just like everything else it was a grand room. She couldn't help but scoff. Was there anything in this place that wasn't grand? Like she thought she was late to the meeting. There were two other elves and a human who was clearly the champion considering he had the Bow with him

"I apologize for my tardiness. I am not used to being in the city so I became lost." She turned her attention on the human boy. With a giant smile she held out her hand. "My name is Maya Alcar. I must say you aren't what I was expecting, but it is truly an honor to meet you."

[amithethird]

________________________

➴ Zachariah "Riah" Temple
➴ bow party - the bow hero
➴ location: council chambers
➴ tagged: aelwyn, lior, maya
____________________________

The respect afforded to him by these people was unlike anything he'd ever had to deal with. Sure, he'd been looked to as an authority figure before, but the way children and teenagers showed him respect was far different from this. For one thing, it wasn't nearly as formal. Mostly kids would treat him like a friend or older brother if they were happy to accept his authority, or they would address him with a sort of aloofness if they didn't want to admit they would listen to him. But these people spoke to him as if he were some kind of noble, which made his face warm. He hadn't even done anything yet, and what he had done certainly hadn't earned him this level of reverence. In all, he wasn't sure what to do with it.

At least the new arrival - Maya, she'd said her name was? - looked as out of her element as he felt. She didn't seem to fit in with these regal looking diplomats either, which made him feel a little less awkward. Was she going to be in his party? He assumed that to be the case. The blonde man - Lior - might also be in the party since he said it was part of his job to help him get settled. He seemed a little formal, but maybe he'd loosen up as they all got to know each other.

He laughed nervously.

"Oh, you can just call me Riah," he said, scratching the back of his head sheepishly, "But it's nice to meet all of you as well. I definitely appreciate all the help I can get."

He shook Maya's hand.

Jeez, are all elves so freaking tall?

He wasn't even a short person, but he felt sort of dwarfed next to these people, and not just in physical size. It had been easy to be bitter and ask himself why he should be entertaining any of this when it was just a disembodied voice telling him he was supposed to save the world, or a handful of random people who he hadn't seen since yesterday, but this felt...different. They were so earnest in their excitement to help him, and despite himself, he found himself hoping that he wouldn't turn into a massive disappointment. The petulant voice in the back of his head sighed.

So much for keeping your distance.

[daifuku]

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ＡＲＲＯＹＯ ＦＲＡＮＣＩＮＥ
x| the sailor | spear party | female | twenty | location: rosebreak meeting hall | mentions -- | tags ji, yaz |
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spacerPer usual, Royo was humming with pent-up energy, walking with a dramatic bounce to her step. She whistled an upbeat tune as she practically radiated restlessness, causing many a passerby shot her wary and confused glances. Earlier that day, she had docked her beloved ship at Rosebreak's port, coming from the port city of Ollbel, where she had been residing for a couple days. The ride had been a quiet one, with more than enough time for her to have built up all her antsy spirit. At last, she had reached her destination, and it was certainly one that she knew very well. She never had the attention span to remember the specific details of all the places she had been, but the worn wood and creaky docks seemed to be the few things she would never forget. The sharp and salty sea air, although usually unnoticed by the sailor, held a unique and comforting familiarity to her, although it was really just the same air she breathed day and night. Her mind threatened to wander into nostalgia, remembering the days she had stared out at the boats passing by through the window of the cafe she worked at. But, her thoughts were cut short when she arrived at the grand meeting hall. Without further ado, Royo burst through the doors, which coughed up a not-so-quiet creak since she had shoved it a little too hard in her eagerness. She covered her mouth with a slightly apologetic look, but moved on quickly, scanning the room for anyone who looked remotely hero-like. After all, she had returned to Rosebreak for a reason, and that was to aid the newly summoned spear hero of Oskye. More importantly though, for the thrill that was sure to follow.

spacerAfter a couple seconds to adjust to the lighting, she finally registered two figures sitting in at the center, one with a painfully exhausted expression and the other with a vaguely familiar mask. Before she could recall the memory or dwell on the fact that neither of them looked as confident and flamboyant as she envisioned a hero to be, her focus was captured by the spear in the female's hand, its shiny red gemstone reflecting light around the room. Bingo, she thought as a huge grin split her face and she made a beeline for the table. Normally, she would have picked up a drink or snack on the way, but this time, she stole a chair instead. Dragging it behind her, she stopped at the table and sat down, right between the two who were already seated─ with zero regard for interrupting a possible conversation. At least she restrained herself from kicking back and putting her feet on the table.

spacer"Top of the morning to y'all," Royo greeted them rather loudly, breaking the silence that hung between them. She had her elbows balanced on the table with her head propped up under her folded hands. Again, not the best manners, but her excitement and happiness to meet them were genuine and earnest. She felt refreshed and energized, similar to the way she would have felt at the start of a new year. Actually getting to lay her eyes on a few of the members she would quest and explore with was the moment that her new adventure became reality, and she was all for it. "From that bad boy right there," she continued, gesturing towards the spear, "I gather you two are who I'm here to see." Pursing her lips for a moment, she realized they were still waiting on one more to join their party, but she went ahead and introduced herself anyways. "The name's Royo, and it's a pleasure to meet you two," she said warmly, awkwardly extending a hand to shake for both her right and left sides.

[Egg With Legs]

Frend - The (Bounty) Hunter - Tagged: Rest of Spear Party

Frend sauntered down the street, boots clicking against the cobbles as he soaked in the city. It had been a while since he had visited Rosebreak. Not for lack of wanting to, the place was a marvel for the eyes and was honestly pretty cheap to live in. its just that there wasn't really much to do for someone like him. There weren't usually any bounties that needed collecting, the guards were competent enough to catch whatever criminals did pop up now and then, the local merchants usually had their own guards already, and no one seemed to keen on trying to make any moves on the port city. He put his money on the weather. But today was a special occasion, a once in a lifetime opportunity to spread his name far and wide. Sure, merc work had been doing pretty good for him so far; his last few employers seemed to have at least a vague idea of who he was before meeting him. But working for legendary hero? Now thats not something many people in Echoa could say. Or any, for that matter. Frend couldn't help but let his smirk break out into a wicked grin as he imagined himself alongside The Spear Hero. Frend, companion of The Spear Hero. Had a nice ring to it.

His reverie of fame and glory were interrupted by his arrival to the meeting hall. He let his eyes pass over the spacious room, his eyebrow shooting up and his smile switching back to a smirk once he got a good look at the Spear and its wielder. She was honestly pretty underwhelming. Basic leather armor, tired and generally disheveled. If it weren't for the incredibly ornate spear in her fingers, he'd just peg her for any other beginner adventurer. But hey, not the first time looks have been deceiving. Her companions were just as odd, as he let his eyes narrow from behind his glasses. He felt his eyes glaze over the rather nervous looking shrimp, and instead let his gaze fall on the tribal in the mask. Funny, he thought they preferred to stay up in the mountains. Guess the allure of working with a legendary hero was enough to outweigh the isolationism. At any rate, it hasn't been the first time he's worked with others. Course, usually those people tried to beat the snot out of him at least once on the job, but if they couldn't handle him, then they didn't deserve his help.

Shoving his hands into the pockets of vest, Frend sauntered over to The Spear Hero's group. Snagging a chair and tossing it into the crook of his elbow, he let himself walk just behind the shrimp, a toothy grin splitting his face.

"So, going by the spear, and what the shrimp just said," he said, his free hand coming up to scratch his chin before snapping his fingers and casually pointing to the subject of his talk, "guessin your The Spear Hero."

[InfectedHau]

Yaz Pierce||Spear Hero||24||Rosebreak Meeting Hall||Tagged: Arroyo, Tsutsuji

Yaz barely paid the masked man a second glance when he walked in; partly because she was used to seeing even stranger people at work, and partly because she was still tired. Energy drinks were undoubtedly out of the scope of this civilization's technology, and she had yet to see a coffeemaker of any kind. She could already feel a caffeine withdrawal headache coming on, which didn't bode well for the next few days to come. Maybe pounding back three Monsters a day was a bad idea, but when you worked back-to-back shifts there wasn't really another option. Hopefully coffee at least existed in this world, she could probably make some herself if she could find it. Or just pull the caffeine out and use that instead. That might get expensive, though, especially if she had to have it delivered from another country, and necessary reagents probably wouldn't be as available either. Probably best to stick with coffee. Strong coffee.

Speaking of plant-based beverages, the guy in the mask had made tea. Yaz took a polite sip, doing her best to not make a face as she downed the rest of the cup. She was never really a tea person, she preferred something full of chemicals she couldn't pronounce that was probably going to give her kidney failure. Not that this tea was bad, as tea went. The only tea she'd ever had had been out of vending machines, presumably this was slightly more authentic. Maybe she could extract caffeine from this. Hopefully they had Ethyl Acetate here. Probably not, but she needed something.

Mask guy didn't say anything, and Yaz didn't really feel compelled to start a conversation. He was part of her party, she presumed. As was the next person to enter the room, a girl wayyy too energetic for this early in the morning. "Yeah, sure," the Spear Hero said, giving the outstretched hand a half-hearted shake. She usually had a better customer service persona, but she was nowhere near caffinated enough to bother with that. That was two of her party members, as she understood it there was one more. Hopefully they were a bit lower strung, whoever they were.

As they entered the door, it was quickly evident that they weren't. Immediately she knew the type, and it wasn't one she had the energy to deal with. Loud, arrogant, probably thought he was God's gift to women everywhere. The snapping was particularly irksome, nobody who snapped at things was a decent person. "Guess I am," she said flatly, "call me Yaz. Since y'all are here, that means y'all're my party then."

[wildsight]

➸ ━━ ＡＶＡＬＯＮ ＨＡＮＬＯＮ ！！
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21 y/o | female | the animal tamer - sword party | town square | tags; aegis, savitri
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━━“So, you’re going to be a part of some team with a....hero?” It was the tenth time her brother had asked this question. Avalon didn’t understand why she was back here today of all days, but her parents had insisted she come back one last time before journeying away. Even so, she had not been particularly fond of the idea and had merely done it so she wouldn’t have to continue to hear their whining. “Yes, that’s the plan.” She said yet again, quite blankly. She could tell from her brother’s posture and expressions that he wasn’t exactly fond of this idea - if not a tad jealous. The thought made her smile a bit, finally getting something her brother didn’t have and there wasn’t a thing her parents could do about it. For once, she didn’t feel hopeless in her own home, but rather powerful. Like she could handle herself just as well as her brother could. The feeling was great.

━━“Now, don’t you get carried away out there.” Her father stated, as her mother joined him at his side with a nod. “I’ll be fine.” She said with a wave of her hand. This part annoyed her, as her parents couldn’t have cared less about her when she was younger, all they cared for was her brother. Now the tables had turned and they wanted in on it. Well, she wasn’t about to let that happen, so she’d simply pretend to ignore it for now. Turning to glance at her brother, she could tell that he wasn’t happy with this either - it was normally him that received their parents' attention not her. What a change of events indeed.

━━Even so, now was the time to get out of here. She didn’t want to be late, how embarrassing that would be. Then again, she tended to worry more than she should in situations like this. Still, she wasn’t about to take her chances. “Well, I should be off!” She said to the rest, quickly heading toward the door. “Be careful!” Her parents called after her, while her brother looked on with an unpleasant expression, echoing their parents words but in a more teasing tone. Honestly, she hated her parents. They acted like she couldn’t handle herself, even if she was a skilled warrior of sorts. Perhaps it was due to the fact that her brother had been in their presence. She didn’t know, but even so she didn’t really care either. It was time to find this Hero and start her journey.

━━It didn’t take Avalon long to find the place, which was by far one of the most impressive places she’d ever seen. Which was only fitting since the Hero had been summoned by the sword, hailing from another world supposedly. She wasn’t sure if she could believe all of that, but if that’s what everyone else had said it had to be true. Besides, she’d see for herself soon enough. Entering town square, Avalon’s gaze bounced from place to place, never settling on one particular spot for too long, before moving onto the next. She’d never been somewhere so big before. And so crowded. Yikes. Unfortunately, crowds were not Avalon’s thing. Navigating through them was hard enough and if one wasn’t careful, they could bump into someone. Or get lost. No, stop. She couldn’t act like this! She needed to focus and find the Hero she was looking for. Somehow.

━━Navigating the town square wasn’t as easy as she thought, but she’d get there eventually. She kept getting distracted. All the sights and smells were captivating enough, couldn’t someone have chosen a different spot? Maybe he wasn’t in the town square. Maybe he was somewhere else. She stopped to scan the area. If she had spent hours looking for him here and he ended up being somewhere else, she wasn’t going to be happy. Even so, she wasn’t about to give up just yet. All she needed to do was look for a hero-like figure. Whatever that looked like. She tried to picture the figure in her mind, but ultimately failed. There was no way she’d be able to do that. Might as well keep looking.

━━Besides doubting that she’d ever find the hero, she was also worried about being late. And what about the rest of the party members? Were they already there? Had they already begun to discuss plans for today? She was so caught up in her thoughts that she nearly ran into a wall. Shaking her head, she moved away from it slowly before carrying on. Party members. Hero. Where could they be? She continued to scout the area, her gaze flickering to and fro, catching on something for a bit, before refocusing. Avalon’s thoughts only began to worsen, before she caught herself from running into someone. Before she could muster the word ‘sorry’, she glanced up at the figure. The person didn’t look like he was a local and another person was nearby him. They seemed to be chatting with each other and the other one seemed like they were glad to have found him.

━━Quickly thinking it over, she came to the conclusion. This must be the Hero! At last! “Sorry to interrupt-” She said quickly, nearly stumbling over her words. Socializing was not her strong suit, so she often seemed rather...awkward. She was determined not to let it show though, so she quickly went on. “But if you’re the Hero sir, then I’m one of your party members - Avalon.” She said. She guessed the other person was also a party member, which meant there was only one more that was missing. So she wasn’t late! That was a relief. Now. Besides only having to wait for their final party member, she was curious about what their first mission would be. Hopefully it wouldn’t be too hard. The last thing she wanted was to be thrown right into action - but alas, that seemed like what warriors often had to deal with. Oh well.

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➸ ━━ ＳＩＬＡＳ ＦＥＲＲＩＳ ！！
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25 y/o | male | the muscle - shield party | great hall | tags; liv, solace, sakura
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━━He should be excited. He should be looking forward to this. He should be anything but the way he was. Silas had known this day was coming for so long and yet, he still hadn’t felt any better about it. The thought was amusing to say the least, especially so since all he has ever wanted to do was protect others. Well, it seemed to actually be a lot harder than he thought it would be. Not only that, but this was something totally different - he wouldn’t be protecting just anyone. He’d be responsible for helping to protect the Hero. The Hero of all people! He let out a heavy sigh, placing his chin in the palms of hands.

━━He couldn’t fail. Not once. If he did so, he wouldn’t even be able to call himself a ‘protector’ or ‘guardian’ of sorts. That wouldn’t mean failing himself, but the team. And even the world. That was a tad too much to bear and he greatly considered to let someone else go in his place. But he couldn’t do that. That would seem like he was being a coward, running away from his problems and worries. It would seem too much like...his father. He inhaled sharply at this thought. No. He wasn't - ever - going to do something like that. His father’s cowardice had been the end of his mother. He wasn’t going to allow the fact that he didn’t want to do something potentially be the cost of the lives of others. No. Not now, not ever.

━━Even so, it gave Silas little hope. What if he wasn’t good enough? What if he tried his hardest and still failed? If he did then so be it. He finally got up from his seat and began to head toward the door, toward fate. If fate said he would fail, then there wasn’t anyway he could stop it. He’d just have to hope that fate was on his side. Silas began to head toward the place where the party would be meeting up at, which shouldn’t be too far. He hadn’t bothered to say goodbye to his father, he’d figure things out soon enough. Unlike him, he wasn’t going to be afraid of a little journey or two. With the Hero by his side, they should be able to conquer anything that stood in their path, along with the rest of the party. Yeah. There was nothing to worry about at all.

━━Thankfully, it didn’t take him very long to make it to his destination. He glanced around as if to make sure he was right and then, continued onward. His gaze bounced around the great hall, which indeed looked ‘great.’ Beyond it. It was quite large, with just enough wonder to match it. This would definitely be the ideal place to meet the Hero at. Speaking of which...where exactly was the Hero? As he continued to make his way down the hall, quiet voices could be heard in the distance. That must be them. The Hero and the rest of the party. Quickening his pace, they soon came into view. One...two...three. Plus himself makes four. Yikes, he was the last one. Well, hopefully they hadn’t been waiting on him for too long. It seemed like they were fine, as they two of them were talking to each other, while the other stood a short distance away.

━━After contemplating the idea, he decided to follow her lead and stay back for a few moments, at least as not to disturb their conversation. His gaze flickered from one form to another, trying to see which one of them was the Hero exactly. His gaze landed on the next shortest one, the one with the shield. Obviously, that would be the Hero. Though he had to admit, she wasn’t exactly what he was expecting. Even so, he wasn’t about to doubt her - if she had been chosen then there was obviously something about her that made her the perfect choice. Now all there was to do was wait and get introductions out of the way. Then they could focus on the fun stuff - their first quest.

[Espeon101010]

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𝐴𝑒𝑙𝑤𝑦𝑛𝑛 𝐹𝑎𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑡𝘩
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◈ Bow Party ◈ Elf ◈ 84 years ◈ Council Chambers ◈ Tagged: Lior, Riah, Maya ◈

Despite her attempts to ignore him, Lior seemed determined to be chatty as usual. Taking in a quick breath, Aelwyn was about to reply to his question, someone entered the chamber hall. It must have been someone involved with the party, either the hero or their final party member, since this had been reserved for their use for the day- a shockingly generous gesture from the higher-ups. Then again, Aelwyn thought, they probably wanted to make the best impression possible on the hero. Nothing would be as useful to them as someone with the power of a legendary weapon and wielder. That's almost certainly why Lior is here. It was doubtful he had volunteered out of the goodness of his heart. It was more likely he had been placed here on purpose. The council's smoothest talker and most deceptive spy was a good person to have following the hero. The young man that stood before her was dressed in strange clothing. His jacket bore a crest-his family coat of arms, perhaps? She couldn't understand the script either, but that was to be expected if he truly was from another world. The bow in his hand looked unnatural, its ancient magic and design clashed with...whatever it was he was wearing. Aside from his strange garb, the hero looked like a normal human, though he was quite a bit shorter than either her or Lior. As he approached the two of them, she stood up and bowed, making sure her smile didn't betray her annoyance at Lior's honey-sweet words. It seemed as though Lior was wasting no time sinking his hooks in. She had to recognize the elf, as irritating as he was, was disciplined and had a work ethic, which just made her life harder. She had signed up to help the hero make a difference more directly than as a diplomat, but now she'll also have to keep an eye on the council's dog. "It is an honour to meet you. My name is Aelwynn, everyone in this party will do what we can to help you. I look forward to working with you. Just as Lior said, we will answer your questions to the best of our abilities." She didn't like the idea of Lior inserting himself as the sole source of information and support for the hero. The last thing Echoa needed was a legendary relic and hero corrupted by the council, acting as their puppet.

A beat after she finished speaking, another elf, one who was clearly not from the capital, entered the room. She was also a fair bit taller than their hero. Maya must be their last party member. She seemed genuinely apologetic for being late, and she hadn't arrived that much later than their new hero. Riah’s introduction was short and modest, though his lack of confidence was evident. Of course, he hadn't even been in this world for a week yet, anyone in the same situation would be in much the same state. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Maya. My name is Aelwyn and I'm a diplomat here in Espia. Though, I am taking a leave of absence to join you all." Stepping out from the edge of the table, she turned around and pulled out a rolled-up parchment from her bag. Being careful to open it so that Lior couldn't peer over her shoulder and read it, Aelwyn passed it to Riah. "Since the introductions are over, we might as well move on to business. Since you're the hero, it would make sense for you to decide our next move. As one option, we could take a job. This is a list of quests that we can choose- they include some in Espia, and several in other countries as well. Though our first stop might be to purchase some equipment." While Riah was the one that stood out the most with a lack of armour, Aelwyn knew they would also need potions and food. It was a good thing the hero had been given a decent amount of money for spending. The meeting to decide how much to grant the bow hero had taken the better part of an entire day and had resulted in Aelwyn going home with a massive headache.

[amithethird]

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➴ Zachariah "Riah" Temple
➴ bow party - the bow hero
➴ location: council chambers
➴ tagged: aelwyn, lior, maya
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Ah. Right to business then.

He took the scroll gingerly and hesitated a moment, a soft frown on his face. Then he took a breath and sighed.

"Well, uh...yeah, here's the thing. I really don't know why I'm...here," he said, "I mean, the most exciting thing I expected to be dealing with this morning was, maybe, a puking kid with heat exhaustion. I'm...flattered? I guess? That you guys think I can help you, and I would like to, but...I don't even know what I'm supposed to be doing."

He stopped and took another deep breath, running his hand through his hair. Was that what he was deciding now? That he did want to help them? And he realized even if the answer was no, he'd probably still do it. Everything about this was weird and confusing and maybe a little nerve-wracking, but he wouldn't feel ok with himself if he just walked away. Assuming that was ever even an option. He took a moment to recenter himself. Ok. Focus.

You're supposed to be in charge. So do that. Make a decision.

"Ok. How about this," he said, "If we need to get some equipment, why don't we start heading that way, and we can walk and talk. That sound good?"

He waited a moment, looking at the others with an eyebrow raised, but he heard no objections.

"So, Aelwyn, lead the way, and while we're walking," he said, "you all can start with telling me more about what our...you know, what our goal here even is. What's happening in this place that's such a big deal you played your trump card?"

He paused a moment to unfurl the quest scroll. Evil lord...diplomatic event...border trouble... He didn't want to say it out loud, but he had a hard time believing a magic weapon summoned him here just for that. There had to be some kind of bigger reason, right? This was a fantasy world. It should have fantasy logic, right? So there had to be something besides cleaning up little disputes like this. Though to be fair, he wasn't sure he was up for anything else at the moment. He could patrol a border. He did that all the time at camp, making sure kids weren't up past lights out. This was basically a more extreme version of that, right? That's fine. This was fine.

I can do this. I can do this.