The Reforged Saga - Prologue: Great Expectations IC [M]

[Minkasha]

Assence? Kira was smart enough to know that she didn’t know anything about this. Tarin spoke like someone who knew much about everything, a trait that reminded her of father. The blank space of the map, where her mind filled in the wide river, held her interest. The two next to her had several years on her, making them strangers of an age group she had no experience interacting with. Disadvantaged.

“…Have you seen the lake with your eyes?” Kira mumbled, turned to both of them and repeated clearer.

[Imperial1917]

Jass paused at the question, looking at the girl. In truth, he was well aware that neither of them probably saw much daylight, for their own reasons. "No," he replied, his voice firm to keep out the irritation, "I have been on rangings beyond Issei before and had some sleepless nights in the marshes, but have never ventured so far as Assence. I never had real need to. However, these words I speak of come from people I trust. Even so, lake or not, the important thing is that there is evidence of a waterway by which we can travel, which will save us time and make carrying supplies easier. Even I have scarce moved so far from civilization that I needed to wonder about long-term supplies. All of my experiences are within the Barrier."

[Megilwen]

Jade shook her head. "Not me."

She bit at her lip, a little frustrated by the whole situation. She felt like she had again when she first started at the Academy. The graduate students would ask questions, inviting the students to answer. There would be many answers given, the students offering answers some close to the answer, some so far off that one had to wonder what they were thinking. Jade knew that it was done this was in order to force students to stop and think about the question, but she always hated it. There was barely enough time as it was to learn all she felt that she had to learn before she graduated. She preferred the graduate students who jumped right in and started teaching. She felt that this way, there was a lot less that she had to "unlearn".

She looked at the map again. If Jass had known the best route to take, the more efficient route to their journey why ask. It was clear Kira didn't know much about the World's routes, about with the same amount that she knew. However, Kira was just more quite about it. Jade wished that she had been quiet about it. Normally, she was, when questions were directed toward a class, but with only the two of them there, they both couldn't be quiet.

She listened to Jass's response to Kira and looked up, questions running across her mind. "I thought you were ...a guide of ours in a way. Are you a participant in the journey? To try and become a shaper as well?" She had thought Jass, as a graduate student was essentially on his way to becoming a shaper and yet he'd never been outside the Barrier. She must have misunderstood what it meant to be or become a graduate student or shaper.

[Imperial1917]

The questions brought up Jass' eyes to Jade's. They were quick, in rapid succession and direct. She might think that his 'suggestion' had cowed her, but she had more steel in her spine than she gave herself credit for. He could respect that; it was almost knowledge tempered by humility. Almost.

Smoothing one of the map's corners absently, Jass chose his words with a great deal more care than he had in the last few minutes. It was clear that Jade at least had a good idea what path he walked, so there was no point to beating around the bush. He met the girl's eyes.
"If you have heard that I walk the path of the Guardian with no other possibility, you have heard right. Being the son of Thorin and Uthain means that my feet were set down on this path before I was even birthed from the womb. It isn't absolute, but it is as close to certain as anyone born of what passes for nobility here with no especial talents can expect. I do not make a habit of bragging of it, nor do I indulge often in the boons that it brings.

That being said, I will be accompanying you on this journey so far as I am able for as long as you are alive for me to do so until such time as we return. If I were made a guide to you by my father, I would beg him honor another with the privilege, for I would make a poor guide. As I have said, I have been on rangings before, but I have never ventured beyond the Barrier; you know as well as I that few have done that and returned to tell the tale.

It may very well be that we will return in triumph and I will be raised with you to the exalted position of Shaper, but that is not so certain. Your destiny as a Shaper will forever be tied to mine for what we do here and what we will do out there, yet it is not so uncertain as mine. If we return, the Council is more like to judge you on the merits of your accomplishments than your association with me, at least as things stand. However, unless we truly succeed in some great deed, my place upon my return is like to be the same place it is now: a desk in my dorm; the Council would be loathe to allow what we do here to accelerate my passage into Shaperhood, though the delay will only be a last, grasping gesture, for undertaking this may significantly magnify my influence when I join the Shapers' ranks."

Jass shrugged his shoulders, "If you have no more questions about that, then we still have matters here to discuss before our departure. Best to leave worrying about that bridge when we come to the crossing."

[Minkasha]

Kira was skeptical; he said the words but acted in another. It was obvious he was going to become a Shaper. To be a Shaper was everything, the height of power, the prestige. The thought made Kira’s fingers drum down on the table, exercising out her emotions. This didn’t feel like a conversation, it was a man telling them what they were going to do. There was nothing she could say, she drummed her fingers heavier, making it audible rapid secessions of dull thuds.

In this irritation Kira said nothing, her eyes low, scanning Tancin and Jade’s feet.

Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud...

Her fingers moved unnervingly fast. Strangely so.

[Megilwen]

Jade nodded as Kira's fingers began drumming on the table. She had been right, in a way and it seemed to be a combination of the two. He'd been accepted as a Shaper in some small part, without the typical route at least. His fate was not tied to whether they succeeded her or not. Not like hers and Kira's, but he had just as much motivation in a way. If they succeeded his path would move along quicker.

"What other matters?" She asked. She'd never planned a journey of any type. When she'd come to the Academy, she'd still been young and her father had paid for her to travel there with one of the crystal caravans that were going north. They'd discussed food, route, and how they were going to travel there. The how were the canoes that were available via the Academy. "Does the council have any other advantages to give if you know who to ask?" She asked suddenly. The map, the canoes. All things that someone who'd lived around the Academy for years would know about. Maybe there were other such advantages...like maybe using a creation? Surely they wouldn't give them such a large advantage.

[Imperial1917]

Jass shook his head at the question. "As I said, I do not make a habit of being toady to the Council. I, as all those who become Shapers must learn to, obey the Council when ordered to carry out directives. Otherwise, I keep myself to myself. Asking favors of them is the making of a trap for one's self. We will have no more than what others can get if they thought but to ask: this map, the canoes, some basic supplies, and the possibility of aid while we are in the Known World. Once we move beyond the Barrier, all bets are off. We cannot even expect help from other groups, assuming that we find any.

I assume that we are heading for Assence then. That covers our route and transportation as well as supply hauling. The final matter is one of the Council's. They require that each group have a name of their own making, for documentation purposes. Suggestions?"

[Minkasha]

The fingers continued to tap out her social inability.

"T-J-K" she suggested meekly to the mundane issue. Tancin's feet haven't moved, she watched. "Our group name doesn't matter" Kira's eyes narrowed into a leer, "it'd be just another thing written down" The meek tone became a bit more agitated and dismissive.

[Megilwen]

Jade shrugged. She was completely indifferent as to their group's name. "TJK would be fine, provided it was just us, but you said that there was the possibility of more students joining us?" She said looking at Jass. "So maybe a name that would allow for that growth would make more sense." As to an actual name for the group she didn't have much to offer.

Everything she thought up, sounded to childish for their purpose. World Explorers. Something about shapers aspirants. "Maybe just keep it simple, like what you had in mind Kira. Academy Group 12, 15, which ever group we are to go out."

[Imperial1917]

The graduate student allowed himself an exasperated sigh. Growing up to become a Guardian, Jass knew that his sect's legacy, the legacy of the Shapers for that matter, was filled more with infamy than fame. He probably knew it better than most students did. Theirs was not the fanciful tale of a noble band of thirteen half-men and exiled princes and wizards setting out to save the world. More often Shapers only stirred from their laboratories to mercilessly root out and crush secessionists. And the Guardians led the way, always.

"I suppose we can leave the name for later. If we are going down in the annals of history, even if that is just on the record of lost expeditions, I would opt for a more memorable title to be put under. Perhaps if others join, they will have a better idea of what to call ourselves. For now, I will notify the Council to use whatever default they have and will send a message back when we reach Assence."

Looking at them both, he wondered if any of them were coming back. "That is all, unless either of you have a last thought to put in."