Sachihiro

You move from where you were in life and come into a different environment of people with a different perspective, different needs and worries in their daily lives. As an outsider you see how limited their dreams, how small their world and how simple their everyday lives are. Travelling with this caravan I see that my world and their world might be the same but they are also parallel to one another without actually touching.

If I hadn't seen that slaughter and hadn't felt the presence of those nasty creatures I would have probably fought off those soldiers, if I had defended those halflings then I never would have felt the need to protect these halflings and never seen inside their lives, or witnessed the serious conversation two people can have about raising potatoes. I didn't even know anything could be discussed about the subject. Let alone to the extent that these two man seem to be doing, they understand each other intimately and empathise with one another. About raising potatoes...

I listen in on the fascinating conversation taking place behind me not giving my attention away. No one here trusts me yet and knowing what I know about how they are treated and peddled about by the other races as subjects and objects I know they would be fools to trust me. It’s the guards they’ve hired for this escort job that I’ve joined that annoy me most in their distrust of me, not that I trust them either.

‘Professional’ guards hired by the caravan of 99 halflings traveling southwest to the fledging kingdom of Ulgeria bordering the Dream Forest. If I’m not mistake I think that’s where Ragnar and Silo went, which means it’s the kingdom where the Conclave is rumored to be building an entire town instead of another Compound like it has apparently done in other places throughout the world. It’s out of my way and the money they agreed to pay me is shitty but these people take from nothing and are travelling to try for a better life with more wealth and opportunity, at least from what I have been able to overhear.

I feel the pebble coming but I let it hit me on the head before turning to look at my assailant. "Hey Hiro, get your head out of the clouds will you? This is serious work!’’ the deputy leader of the guard escort says loudly from his spot sitting on one of the caravans.

We don’t like each other him and I, but the difference between us is that he is a bully and doesn’t know that I could snap his neck at my leisure if I got pissed off enough.

*

Talia

I fly over the Gonubi looking down on the young man known to Elentril as Sachihiro son of Damage. Finding his particular signature was fairly easy considering I knew which part of the world to look and Elentril marked him brightly. But the distance this human has travelled in just the few years he's been away from Sandaria is impressive even for me in my current form.

He walks in a group of short humanoid people some 10 kilometres below as the head of their procession after a little skirmish with a pack of hyenas. Ugly creatures that laugh as they attack and slaughter their prey but necessary for the cycle of life and death that is the nature of Gaia. I cry out as I spot my own prey down below in the form of a flying monkey between the thick vine shaped trees of this part of the continent.

I dive down silently at speeds of excess to those of a speeding arrow which is no surprise to anyone who knows birds as my bird form is that of a dire-hawk. There is no question that the monkey is dead, it died the moment I spotted it and my instincts kicked in.

I watch this Sachihiro with interest as the chosen of Elentril for the coming confrontation. The other ancients have been searching for heirs, any number of young men and women to be bestowed with the training and knowledge that will be necessary in the coming struggle. Passing down their knowledge and Arts in an organised way for the first time outside the druid schools in the history of Gaia. Not sure what has them spooked but something is up with them, I felt Byakko call me a few ten-days ago and I’m glad he’s awake again but knowing ancients as I do I have to finish my current chore and report back before answering anyone else’s call.

Why Elentril doesn't think a druid would be best suited for her teachings I don't know, but I was to find this Sachihiro and bring him back to her alive for training whatever else she has in store for him isn’t my business. I doubt he will get away without a few bruises if not outright broken bones though. She turned Gorr into a wolf, which was clever and funny but I doubt she has anything as simple as a genetic transformation for this one. Strangely I’m enjoying this observing from a distance more than I probably should, the danger of being a druid is ending up not used to humanoid people anymore.

I’m not observing because I’m nervous though, not at all. I’m just watching because all their little interactions, worries and lives are interesting in a simple way. This is the first vacation I’ve had in 60 years, since I walked down this path and now that I’m away from all of them I’m realizing how exhausting it is dealing with ancients and druids and nymphs. Anything older than 200 years old is just difficult to deal with.

Yea, I think I will stay at the fringes and watch this one for a while before making contact. There are a few years still before the deadline of our arrival back to the Dawn; I hope this Sachihiro doesn’t give me any trouble.