Down by the lake, Gaius stands a few feet from the water, soaking wet. He seems lost in deep concentration as he takes a few breaths, calming himself. He bends his knees for a moment and takes off running towards the water. For a few steps, he actually manages to run across the top of the lake before falling in. He swims back to the lake's edge and walks a few feet away from the lake, ready to give it another attempt.
After a couple more tries, Gaius looks up at the bear and Lyrion across the lake and smiles. He takes off into a run and hits the lake. Each step lands lightly on top of the water and is there only an instant, leaving a ripple behind. Soon, Gaius finds himself standing on the other side of the lake, having crossed the lake by only getting his feet wet. "Well," Gaius says, looking up at Lyrion and the bear, "that went well."
The huge bear rolls up on to a sitting position. Raises a great paw toward the human trained by the water skimmers and says ... "Rrrrraaaaaaawwwwwrrrrrrr...."
The bear then reaches down to the three fish freshly caught, pushes one toward Lyrion, one toward Gaius, and then pick one up in his teeth.
With that, the bear raises his huge paw again and says... "Rrrraaawwwwrrrrrrrrr...", out of the side of his mouth, then stands up, turns and begins lumbering back into the woods.
Lyrion chuckles. "He says you've found an interesting way to swim, but you won't catch any fish by running over top of them. The fish is a gift for putting on a good show... and to make sure such an amusing creature doesn't starve."
Lyrion sits in front of his fish, though he does not eat it. "I have to admit, though, that was impressive. I've heard tell of monks who could stand on the surface of the water or the most delicate leaf, but this is the first time I've seen anyone do it. Tell me, how do you manage such a feat?"
Gaius laughs at Lyrion's translation of the bear's remarks. "Well, do tell him thank you for me if you see him again."
Gaius takes a seat to rest a moment. "As for running across the water, it's really just a matter of concentration. The mind merely wills the body to weigh less, to walk lightly, to move faster. With enough practice and exercise of the mind and body, these things can eventually be acheived. By the way... who was that bear? He seems rather friendly."
"Concentration, eh? Fascinating. I never thought you could achieve so much just by willing it to be so. No doubt the espers will have something to say about that, when they're not predicting our impending doom." He smirks.
"Him?" Lyrion thrusts a thumb over his shoulder. "That was Asbjorn. He's the guardian of the grove. Very old and very powerful. I strongly suspect he's more than just a bear, but it seems to be the form he prefers, so I don't question it. I've learned a lot from him."
"Well, the mind is a surprisingly powerful thing. Yes, I have heard those espers go on about their horrible visions. What a town to live in. It seems we face impending doom regularly here, but yet we still survive." Gaius laughs again.
"Ah, the druid's grove. I have heard about it, but I must confess I know next to nothing about where it is or what it is."
"Dangerous thing, glimpsing the future. I wouldn't want to do it. Spoils the surprise." Lyrion laughs. "And you're welcome in the grove any time. Nothing much to see unless you have a deep kinship with nature, of course. Just a meadow, a stream, a sleeping dryad, an ancient bear, and a bunch of very talkative trees."
"Yes, that actually sounds like a nice place to visit. I can't exactly talk to bears or trees, but It sounds quite peaceful, like a good place for me to exercise my mind and meditate. It's difficult to find a calm place elsewhere in this town. Would you be able to show me where it is located?"
"I wouldn't be much of a Keeper if I couldn't," Lyrion says with a wry wink. "So long as you mind your manners, you're welcome to visit any time you like. Be sure to bring Asbjorn an offering, though. He tends to get ansy when he's hungry."
"Shall we go now, or did you want me to lead you there later?"
Lyrion talks over his shoulder as he leads Gaius away. As they disappear into the woods, he can be heard saying, "Honey, fish, meat… he's not too picky. Just be sure not to prepare it. Nothing cooked, smoked, or spiced. He prefers all of his meals, shall we say, fresh."
Zanna treks her way down the forest path down by the lake just in time to make off to figures walking into the woods across the lake. Her expression is slightly puzzled for a second as she sees footprints by the lakeside but not a boat in sight. She just shrugs and continues onto the lake. She dips Akon's bloodied shirt into the water and cleans it off as best she can. She then strips a small tree branch of its leaves and drapes the shirt over to dry. Zanna sits down and dips her feet in the cool lake water. Watching the figures across the lake getting smaller and farther away.
A soft hand reaches out and stops Zana in her tracks.. "M'lady, who's shirt is that with blood on it? I recognize quite well.." The man wear's a white chestplate with a red star in the middle, and gold trim.. He also has a blue cloak which seems singed at the bottom.. He was practically dirty and looked as if he had almost been blown up. And yet, the man wore a crown on his head.
Zanna jumps lightly at the light touch on her arm and twists around. She looks curiously at the crown-bearing stranger then says, "They are Akon's. The town sherriff? She was badly injured in a fight with some bandits. They seem to be hiding around the walls near the gates." She then looks around in a panic to see if anyone else is around. "I've never seen you around Jastrey," she says curiously, "Who are you?"
Zenphere's eyes enlarge in fear and grief. "Akon! Is she allright!?" He asks, then noticing the question. "Oh, how rude of me.. I am Zenphere, the King of Zanardine.. I visit Jastrey every now and then.. It is one of the few things I have left.. But we musn't waste anymore time!" Zenphere runs down the road towards the healers den..
Zenphere stops and turns around to what Zana said. He stroked his short beard.. "Verywell.. Tell me immediatley when I can see her.. I must get washed up anywase.. My carrige was loaded with bombs, and I am guessing the Black Hood's have something to do with it.." Zenphere smiles, unstraps his cloak, and hangs it on a branch........ Zenphere stares at Zana and beckons to run along, for he was preparing for bathing..
Zenphere unstrapped his cloak and hung it on a branch. He then took off his breastplate and other clothes and walked into the cold lake water. He rubbed his shoulders in which ached from the heavy weight of the pice of armour. He rested his head on a rock on the edge of the lake. He looked up at the stars and studied them the way his father had tought him. He closed his eyes for a single second then suddenly they bursted open. It was daylight and there was flowers everywhere. He walked out of the lake to find himself standing on soft green grass. His equipment was gone. He groaned. He began walking down the path that led to the tavern. Suddenly, he smelled a slight hint of smoke. He began to ran, then suddenly saw the whole of town ingulfed in fire. He saw several bodies laying on the ground. All of them friends and people he had known. In the center layed his father... Zeldera.. Zenphere ran over to him and kneeled down. Suddenly, he looked up and could see the banners of Ressik. He screamed and ran toward them, only to find that they were sticking into the corpses of more friends.. He cried and screamed and then suddenly awoke, coughing up water. He swam up and could see the night sky once more. He walked out of the lake and saw his equipment. But his sword, in which he did not have, was there. He put on his equipment and headed off to his cabin..
Gaius appears once again, this time running across the tops of the trees. His footsteps are quick and almost weightless; he seems to be running on the leaves themselves. He crosses from tree to tree in small leaps, landing on the next tree as lightly as he runs. As he reaches the edge of the lake, he stops, standing motionless on a thin branch at the top of a tree as he looks around him.
Toward the other side of the lake, a huge bear can be seen rolling on his side. One might even say that, by the sounds coming from him, he was laughing at this being attempting to learn how to walk on water.