Author: Hiro Kouen, Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2015 7:53 AM, Post Subject: In The Jungle, The Mighty Jungle (Open, R?)

Cain explained that the Demon Gods were banished, and sealed for the foreseeable future.  "Oh, thank the Gods, I was worried a rift from Hell would open up and send out the legions of demons to reap our souls or something, just because of something you did," Hiro said in jest with a laugh.

Hiro listened to "Cain" as he thought back and recalled things he thought happened between the man in Hiro's father.  He scratched his chin in thought.  "He could turn into a phoenix, I've seen him do it.  He's really powerful when he does that.  But it doesn't sound like something Dad would do, he had a temper, but only towards those who did wrong.  But he did tell me a story once that he was made a baron by nobility once, but they were just using him to try and control some town that was controlled by the God of Darkness, Dimitre Knight.  That name was practically a cuss in our house.  He left the city and gave up his title because he realized he was not doing the right thing.  They were trying to use him as a tyrant to overthrow another tyrant.  But that dwarf thing is funny, sounds like someone drank a little too much.  He even told me that some little drunk monster girl suplexed him once," he Hiro recalled, laughing.  "I haven't had alcohol yet, though.  It sounds like people have fun with it, but it can make people do stupid, and foolish things.  Always have moderation, Mom said.  She had troubles with it in a past life, and Dad saved her from that."

Hiro yawned, he was starting to feel tired.  It was getting late, and as much as he liked talking with the man, it was about time he got some shuteye.  "Maybe we should call it a night, you said you could take the first watch with your meditation, so I'll hold you to it."

Author: Icarus, Posted: Sun Nov 8, 2015 9:07 PM, Post Subject: In The Jungle, The Mighty Jungle (Open, R?)

"Truthfully, they're banished and sealed for much longer than I hopefully live," he said, somewhat pessimistic.  The Demon Gods were four overwhelmingly powerful demons, generals cast from portions of Obelisk's darkness.  They commanded legions of Hell and the cost to defeat them had been high, indeed.  Now that Icarus was in mortal flesh, he felt it had been far too high despite the knowledge the souls of all mankind had been at stake. 

Even as Hiro expanded further on his own belief concerning peace, Icarus nodded appreciatively.  He could understand the irritation of not being able to bring peace to all people as he shared the sentiment as well.  Unfortunately, it was just the order of things.  With free will there came the possibility others would do terrible things to rise above their peers.  

"Ha ha, perhaps I knew him.  My memory has been damaged by recent events.  As it turns out, there are a great many things I don't recall.  I think at one point, he may have tried to burn down a town as a fire bird or something because I told him the truth and it wasn't what he wished to hear.  I think there was another time I swung a Dwarf at him like a club.  Simpler times…" he trailed off, laughing at the little bits and pieces he could pull from the fractured memories he held.  

The stories the boy shared of his father were rather unusual, but given all other portions of his travels he could recall, none seemed too far-fetched.  Everything seemed to simply be a matter of perspective.  For others, such occurrences were utterly insane while for himself, they were merely par for the course.  

"Eh, like I said, my memory isn't the best.  I could be remembering some other bloke with a bad temper and I'd be taking credit when none was needed," Icarus deflected.

He wasn't too keen on offering too much information in the event he was actually wrong when it came to the boy's father.  After all, it would just make him seem like a liar if there were something inconsistent in his stories.  It seemed it was getting later into the night and given the fire and relative calm, Icarus would need to begin his meditation to prepare for the next day.  Meditation didn't rest one quite as efficiently as sleep did, but it was nowhere near as bad as staying awake the full night.

Crossing his legs, Icarus closed his eyes and began to change his breathing, relaxing more as his heart rate slowed further.  Although he likely couldn't teach the boy, he could at least show him what it looked like when one calmed themselves and rested without shutting their senses down entirely.  Icarus estimated about ten hours until daylight would rise once more, a sufficient amount of time to fully energize himself.  At least nothing can sneak up on me like this, he thought to himself.

Author: Hiro Kouen, Posted: Thu Nov 5, 2015 8:08 PM, Post Subject: In The Jungle, The Mighty Jungle (Open, R?)

"Oh, I see.  So I have no worry about Demon Gods coming from Hell to try and reap our souls?  That's good to hear," the boy quipped with a chuckle.  He never heard anything about Demon Gods besides ramblings from old religions and legends.  The man seemed to have a bit in common with him, as well as his father.  "I guess you're right about that.  I don't see a way for EVERYONE to get along peacefully.  Inequality breeds discontent.  We just have to constantly work to preserve the peace."  He hadn't met any Gods yet, but he heard they roamed this land like humans did, and sometimes even took the form of mortals and took part in mortal affairs.  His father told him a lot about different Gods, Goddesses, and other Deities, like Elemental Deities called Avatars.

"Wait, you may have known my father?  He's never mentioned a man named Cain, though I imagine he's known a lot of people.  Father is still well and fine, and Mother's fine too.  He has told me a lot of stories of epic battles against other heroes, villians, tournaments, and so forth.  There was a story he told me about some crazy man who vomited rainbows trying to kill him in a match held by a God of Darkness.  That was a silly one.  There was another about an imp with a clockwork arm who fought my father twice in a grand tournament, though that guy eventually triumphed in the end.  But there were no grudges held from that one."  He recalled a few of the stories his father told him about his exploits of his youth.  He hoped he would be able to have just as many amazing adventures as he did.  He tried to think of what story was attributed to this man, if he was someone his father knew, but the name Cain didn't ring any bells.  He could be mistaken, or maybe the man was hiding his true name.

"If you knew my father, and if something you did saved his life, then I guess I should be thankful, since I probably wouldn't be here today to talk to you."

Author: Icarus, Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2015 10:54 PM, Post Subject: In The Jungle, The Mighty Jungle (Open, R?)

"Eh, don't worry about it.  It all happened a few years back.  The Demon Gods are eternally banished back to Hell and the souls lost ascended in the end.  I'm just a bit selfish when it comes to their presence with me," Icarus said, interjecting as the boy offered his sympathy for his trials.

Judging from how the boy described his father, he'd kept himself quite similar to Icarus in nature, in a sense.  They had actually seen eye to eye more frequently in the ways of war and their personal motivations for it than he had thought.  It was a shame they were never quite able to bridge that gap.

In all his strategies, Icarus had always gone for the quickest victory possible, choosing immediate and decisive victory at great risk to avoid prolonged warfare that would ravage man and nature alike.  It was for that reason he always took the vanguard, despite being the strategist and often-times commander.  His ploy never failed until the Devil Gods arrived with their legions intent on consuming the flesh and souls of mortals.  

It was then that he changed his strategy altogether.  He would no longer involve others in warfare, no longer lead armies into the fray.  After his first resurrection, he chose to face whatever threat he was forced to fight alone, never to depend on others after his dependence cost the lives of his loved ones and those closest servants of his.  It was his Order of Eris, his direct guardians when he reigned as emperor that had paid the cost for his foolishness.  

The thoughts continued to claw at his mind.  The doubts he held for years always liked to creep in whenever he heard stories of those that walked a similar path as himself.  The boy's mention of his father's wish to see a world without war rang true with him as well.  Among most warriors, it was a common goal, but unfortunately, they found themselves on the opposite sides of the battlefield.

"Honestly, I wish it were possible.  Unfortunately, with the nature of sentients being to aim for superiority, it's not going to happen.  It comes to the truest warriors to embrace that fact and work to grant peace to the greatest number of people," he interjected once more.  His stance was one that simply wished to see humanity thrive.  Their race was a precocious lot, younger than most others, but spreading to the farthest reaches like a hardy grain, widespread in their population.

His words regarding the gods felt somewhat similar.  It was as though there were a tug that resonated at his mortal coil that made him detest the gods to an extent.  They were those granted power above the ranks of common mortals, but they were also no better than them, enhanced from their common materials and brought to a level exceeding those that were no less worthy.  The powers that be were fickle creations, constructs at an interdimensional cosmic scale created by a true god that made those chosen look like ants.

Icarus knew, deep down, that the gods were susceptible to the very same faults as mortals.  He didn't know how.  He simply knew they were not perfect beings.  In some cases, they were even less than normal beings.

His father's teachings hopefully set in quite well.  The previous experience with the jungle cat aside, he hoped the boy at least knew how to wield a blade effectively enough.  In the event he wasn't quite up to par, he'd volunteer to assist in training the boy a bit more to help him along the way.

"You know, the funny story about it is that there's a familiarity about you I can't quite place.  Perhaps I knew your father some time ago.  If I recall, there was a man that had quite the temper and an affinity to fire.  We never quite saw eye to eye, but my interference may have given him the question in his mind that would save his life," Icarus explained, drawing on all the fractured information he could draw from his memories.

With a sigh, Icarus turned and walked a bit away from the campfire.  It was only a short distance, but after the long journey of the day, he at last had to relieve himself.  He thought of what he had just said.  Was it really in his best interest to mention he may know the boy's father?  In all honesty, he didn't know.  His relation with his father was hazy if they were in fact related and they hadn't had the best relationship among individuals.

Returning to the campsite, Icarus looked up to the sky.  He wished he could remember exactly what had happened between them that caused the rift to form.  It had never been his intent to drive the boy's father away.  He was a fellow warrior that he had respected and wished only the best for.  Unfortunately, the man proved too headstrong to listen to reason and Icarus' words only cast the faintest shadow of doubt.  The man lived, last he knew, and that was what mattered to him so long ago that he could not remember.

"Sorry, hope that didn't prove too strange a thing to hear.  Just reminded me of a man I knew that spent his time fighting with me as much as he did against me.  I hope he's doing well if that is indeed your father," he said, trying to return his sympathy to the boy who seemed to long for his father's guidance.

Author: Hiro Kouen, Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2015 10:06 AM, Post Subject: In The Jungle, The Mighty Jungle (Open, R?)

Hiro listened intently as the man who introduced himself as Cain retold the story of his youth and his history.  It was sad, he lost so many people close to him due to the brutality of war.  It was really tragic to lose so many people because of senseless wars.

"Oh wow, I'm sorry to hear that.  you've lost so many people in your life.  It seems most of the people you've lost were to war.  Dad said he hated war, but only fought in it so that the least amount of lives would be lost, though sometimes there's no right side in a war.  He wanted to live in a world without war, a world he didn't need a sword to live in, but that time was very far away.  I honestly don't know if we'd ever live to see a world without war, because people never get along.  If a father that rules a country can't get along with his son, that son could try to overthrow his father for not treating him well.  It's stupid, people can be so selfish, and have conflicting interests.  It seems even Gods don't get along with the people, I've learned of wars between mortals and immortals, and between even the immortals themselves fighting each other.

"Dad taught me how to use a sword to protect people, the innocent, the people I care about, people who need protecting, and to protect the peace, to avoid war.  So I'll fight to be a hero that protects people.  To defend peace.  Anyway, yes, that brief history you gave me was good enough," he managed to say with a laugh.  The inner flame in his eyes seemed to dance like the campfire they were chatting over.

Author: Icarus, Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2015 5:19 PM, Post Subject: In The Jungle, The Mighty Jungle (Open, R?)

As Icarus listened to Hiro's explanation of what he was doing out here, he couldn't help the chuckle that the boy knew the urge to step out from beneath his father's shadow.  The man he thought of had quite the shadow from what he could recall.  In his day, the man had been quite the hero and even from the few times Icarus could remember his dealings with him, he had the habit of riding his past days of glory.  It didn't make him any less capable of the good deeds he performed, it was just that few took him as seriously as Icarus had, finding a kindred spirit with him.

Indeed, he hadn't known, but the title of Black Swordsman had followed him to the point where even the mention of his name caused others to tremble in fear who didn't know the significance of where it came from.  He had slain dozens of men in the manner of execution and became known for his brutal efficiency with his claymore of immense size and weight which he wielded with ease.  The sword and the man bearing it were often thought of as one and the same.  Had he been able to remember those days, part of him might feel differently about the boy's rush to leave his father's shadow.

Making a name for oneself often enough led to the deaths for youngsters either not ready or not meant for the road their kind were often forced to walk.  If the boy wanted to become stronger, he would help him when the time came, whether that became training or some other form of helping manifest the abilities that could protect him and others when applied properly.  He seemed too innocent, incapable of drawing the blood of another man, even in self-defense.  

When he chose to ask more pertaining to him, Icarus had to figure out which portions to omit, trying to recall if the boy's father knew anything about those particular details.  In fact, it seemed the son would know more about him than his father ever cared to.  The father had been far too busy to take that sort of time, acknowledging him only when they were busy standing beside one another or standing at odds with one another.

"Heh… I grew up the bastard son of a general and a servant.  He treated me well enough, but I didn't know until much later I was his son.  By then, he had already died and I had entered war for the first time.  A civil war had broken out and I followed my master's son, my brother.  We won, of course, and both of us had personally attained quite a bit of merit in battle.  I went on to the emperor's personal guard while he eventually ascended to the rank of grand general based on our father's previous rank," he explained as he glanced to the campfire, playing with a stick in his hand.

"But… my brother isn't around now.  Died in war, protecting me, he used a forbidden spell to take my wounds onto his body, saving me, but condemning him in the process.  At times, I wish I hadn't let him know he was my brother so he wouldn't have gone to such lengths for me.  Wife killed herself after my first death.  Two oath brothers both died, one to a Devil God named Loki, the other protecting my son.  My son survived but I haven't seen him since I took him to a foreign country.  All that good enough?" he asked, finishing the briefest possible explanation to give him a full enough story about who he was.

Author: Hiro Kouen, Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2015 11:25 AM, Post Subject: In The Jungle, The Mighty Jungle (Open, R?)

Hiro didn't know how to meditate, his father hadn't taught him such a thing yet.  But he was feeling a bit tired after traveling the whole day.  "Father hadn't taught me how to do that yet, but we can take shifts.  I don't mind."  Maybe it would be best to sleep with one eye open, in case this guy got any strange ideas.  He pulled out his cloak, he could wrap himself up in it to keep warm.  He built himself a cushion to rest with his backpack, since he didn't feel comfortable resting on leaves like his companion did.  When the camp was built, he knelt over the pile of wood, piled them up in the proper manner, then summoned a flame from his hand, lighting up their camp fire.  The fire should give them some form of protection from forest animals, even if it wasn't complete protection.

"Yeah, though I haven't been able to learn the other elements yet, I always had a knack for fire.  I actually went out here on my own accord, though father agreed to let me do this.  It was my idea.  Mother had to be convinced.  I want to make it out on my own, not to leech off my father's fame.  He gave me one of his mundane swords that he forged, a shield, a few of the essentials, and then I found a mage that could open a portal to anywhere far enough away from home.  Ended up near this forest.  But I want to be more like him, I want to be stronger than him, actually.  I've heard so many tales about him, I want to be talked about just as much if not more than him.  I want people to look up to me, like they do with him.   So that's why I'm in the forest, to get stronger, build a name for myself."  The way Cain spoke to him almost seemed like he expected to know what Hiro was about to say.  Did this guy know his father perhaps?  Or maybe this guy just knows a lot about kids like him?  Maybe he had similar experiences like Hiro had.  That seems more reasonable.  "Did you go out into the world as a young man like me when you were younger?  Do you have any kids or family?  If I'm to travel with you, I'd like to know a little bit about you."

Author: Icarus, Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2015 8:11 PM, Post Subject: In The Jungle, The Mighty Jungle (Open, R?)

The boy was as green as could be in some things.  Certainly, the sky above was beginning to darken, but the problem they faced was that the canopy was so dense, the sun could scarcely be seen to begin with.  That and with the dense underbrush, there was the distinct possibility they could be subjected to a fiery death as they slept.  At least he could be.  The boy was naturally tolerant to such things if he recalled his father correctly.

Still, he had a point.  Resting would be the proper course of action, though entirely falling asleep may not be the best idea.  They were both strangers, despite his understanding of the boy and it was unlikely he could entirely trust a man such as himself either.  To conserve strength and enter a near-sleeping state, it was likely he would enter meditation for an extended period of time, allowing his body and mind rest while remaining attuned to the surroundings.  

Monstrous snakes or any other number of creatures often shyed away from fire, but it was not a guarantee if the beast were large enough and hungry enough that it would work.  A short distance ahead, there was a small clearing.  It would serve their purpose fairly well for the night and there was little chance of an ember striking dried vegetation in the immediate area.

"All right, if you need rest, we can stop here for the night.  We can do shifts if you want or if you can meditate, we can both rest at the same time.  I leave it to you," Icarus said, scanning the area for fallen tree boughs.

For him, times of sleeping in the wilderness were common.  He had often done so and was aware of the potential dangers associated with it.  Finding several heaps of leaves, Icarus produced his sword, prodding about it and searching for serpents and poisonous insects that could strike him were he to carelessly place his hand in hit.  Only a few of the piles were worth fussing over, little spiders and the like running away as he disturbed their homes.  Oh, how he hated those little bastards.

It took him a full ten minutes, but he eventually found enough leaves to make a comfortable seat for himself.  Doing his part in finding tinder and kindling, Icarus brought an armful of sticks to the center of their makeshift camp, scraping a trench around a circular location where the fire would be made.  He took as many rocks as he could, piling them carefully to try and form a ring around the site.

"So you can use fire magic, huh?" he said in an almost expectant tone.  "Let me guess, you're out here because your father wanted you to toughen up a bit and be more like him?"  It was something he actually expected the boy's father to say, if in fact he was related to him.  The name Kouen made it fairly obvious to him, but it could have been coincidental.

Author: Hiro Kouen, Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2015 7:35 PM, Post Subject: In The Jungle, The Mighty Jungle (Open, R?)

The man didn't say much, like what the information he wanted was for, but the guy seemed to want to keep his motives a secret.  Information and money.  That's what he was after.

"I see, I wish I could help you with the information thing, but I'm new to the area.  But it looks like we're heading in the same or similar direction."  Hiro stole a glance at the sword on his side, just to make sure it was still there.  He had to keep that close, so he wouldn't be caught off guard in case something attacked.  They continued through the forest, but as they traveled, it seemed to get darker and darker.  The sun was setting, and the moon would soon be out.  The sounds of animals of the night started to get louder.  Animals like lions or tigers would prowl in the dead of night, he figured (though he didn't know which of those two lived here in this jungle/rain forest).

"Cain, it looks like it's starting to get dark.  Maybe it would be wise to stop to camp for the night.  I don't think traveling at night would be safe as it gets darker, and who knows what lurks in the dark here?  Also if we travel all night, we're bound to eventually get tired.  I can build us a fire, since I have fire magic."

Author: Icarus, Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2015 8:00 PM, Post Subject: In The Jungle, The Mighty Jungle (Open, R?)

Icarus looked back to his new traveling companion.  If this individual was also heading to Mamlak, it made sense that they would travel together a bit longer than either had originally intended.  As it was, they certainly would need more provisions if they were to head to the capital of the west.  For that sake, they would travel together at least to the first trading post they came upon and then it would be negotiable how far they would continue together.

"I need information and a bit more coin.  Until those have been satisfied, it's likely I'll remain at one of the larger hub cities," he explained.

The boy's goal was naive to say the least.  Then again, he seemed to have a similar streak as his father when it came to being a glory hound.  The minor differences aside, he at least hoped he wasn't as much the hothead that believed himself to always be right, even when the evidence contrary was in his face.  He likely would have been on better terms with the boy's father if that were not the case.

Wandering cautiously so as not to become lost, Icarus wound his way back to the path, trying to lead Hiro without being too far ahead lest the boy become lost once more.  With any luck, they would be able to continue without any further issue.  As Icarus gazed up toward the canopy as the few rays of light overhead began to turn dark amber, he realized that with night approaching, it was unlikely at best.

He'd heard a few rumors about the sort of predators that stalked the jungle when darkness fell.  They would have to be extraordinarily careful to keep from being just another pair of victims.  After all, his new life had only just begun with his resurrection.  Icarus had no right to die so soon.

Author: Hiro Kouen, Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2015 4:02 PM, Post Subject: In The Jungle, The Mighty Jungle (Open, R?)

The man introduced himself as Cain, no last name.  Maybe he was someone who wanted to stay somewhat distant?  Perhaps he wanted to hide something, maybe he should be cautious around this person.  At any rate, Hiro was on his feet once more.  The man told him he could help him to the nearest trading post.

"Ah, I see.  The nearest trading post will have to do, then.  Thank you, Cain.  I'll be able to stock up on supplies there, and find direction toward the nearest full sized town."  He started walking alongside the man through the rain forest.  It was quiet walking alongside him.  He seemed overly serious.  He turned toward the older man to talk to him.  "If you don't mind me asking, what brings you here?  I'm trying to find work so I can build up a good reputation, and my wallet.  My goal is to be a great hero that people can look up to."  The young man wondered if he would mind talking small talk with him, or if he'd be one of those secretive types that didn't like sharing too much.  They continued to walk down the rain forest path.

{Bleh, wasn't sure what to write, so sorry it's so short}

Author: Icarus, Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2015 1:37 PM, Post Subject: In The Jungle, The Mighty Jungle (Open, R?)

Strong? Icarus thought as he helped the boy.

Icarus merely had an intestinal fortitude about himself that came from his experience.  He feared few things aside from spiders, but that came from his own experiences as well.  Nothing like seeing cocooned people filled to the brim with eggs to make one develop a phobia.  His form was lean and only moderately more muscular than Hiro's own, an effect of finishing puberty and having additional testosterone.  By this age in his previous life, he already had finished his training with Cain and his physicality showed it in his almost acrobatic body structure.

Given the current circumstances, it seemed likely the boy could more than hold his own against him if he were to turn on him.  Icarus could remember only fractions of his previous life and the thought of having carried himself as a figure with more muscle mass almost made him laugh.  He had no idea what he had been thinking using a giant sword, regardless of whether it was sentient and felt light as a normal sword or not.  When the boy rose to his feet and introduced himself, Icarus couldn't help feel a slight familiarity when he met his eyes.

Part of him envisioned, for the scantest of moments, another man whom he spent an equal amount of time as and ally and an adversary to.  If he could recall, it had been some sort of political intrigue that had placed the other man in a position of danger despite a noble title.  Icarus had interfered with his reign over some station to bring attention to the fact the nobles of some court were plotting his demise.  He remembered well enough to know the man hadn't entirely forgiven him, either.  It was the name that made it stand out in his mind to a greater degree.

"You can call me… Cain," he said, using his master's name to avoid potential confrontation if Hiro knew of his name from his father.  "I only know the way to one of the villages in the Bohar region.  It's still a full day's walk away by this point.  I came from the road a short distance away and was planning to head north to one of the trading posts.  You're free to come with me if you'd like," he explained, not giving away his final destination of Mamluk quite yet.

For travelers, it could be dangerous at times to impart such knowledge to strangers.  If there were some conflict or they held differing objectives that brought them to a point, it could give others some measure of an advantage in knowing their objective.  He had some idea pertaining to prior experience with the other man, likely a relative, that this boy was not the sort to cowardly strike a man from behind.  Turning toward the road, Icarus began to lead him through the forest and toward his eventual destination.

Author: Hiro Kouen, Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2015 9:38 AM, Post Subject: In The Jungle, The Mighty Jungle (Open, R?)

A mysterious stranger came into sight through the thick underbrush of this rain forest.  A large muscular man who appeared to be a seasoned warrior of some kind.  Luckily for Hiro, it seemed this man wasn't a foe, there was the sound of growling nearby, the man fearlessly charged toward the source of the noise, and smacked away the predatory cat with a single blow of his sword.

"Wow, that was impressive, sir.  You're very strong, I can tell."  The man walked back to the fallen boy, and promptly stepped in some animal waste.  Hiro snickered and started laughing.  "I'm sorry, that was too funny.  I'll be all right, I'm uninjured."  He took the man's hand and got back up to his feet, dusting himself off.  He was a tad more dirty than he was before, but he managed not to twist his leg or any other injury other than some scrapes and bruises.  "Yeah, I'm fine.  Thank you for the help.  My name is Hiro Kouen, and I'm a tad lost here, I'm sorry to admit.  I'm having difficulty navigating this forest.  You wouldn't happen to know the way to town, would you?"  The boy looked at his savior and smiled, his eyes were the shade of the deepest sapphire blue.  He was told he had his mother's hair, but his eyes were his father's, despite both his mother and father having blue eyes.  It was something about the strength in them, he was told.  Hiro's frame was toned from exercise, he wore a black shirt, covered with a red jacket with a golden phoenix crest.

Author: Icarus, Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2015 6:39 AM, Post Subject: In The Jungle, The Mighty Jungle (Open, R?)

Hours passed and it seemed the rain kept returning intermittently as Icarus pressed further along the road.  Continuously scanning the vicinity as he tread onward, Icarus had yet to see anything more dangerous than primates off in the distance.  He wondered if they were the territorial sort until they looked at him and turned away, disinterested in the newcomer.  He was thankful they weren't on the road or he would have had significantly more trouble.  It was one thing spotting them a ways away in the jungle, but walking haphazardly toward them in an attempt to follow the path was entirely different.  

All around, he could hear the sounds of nature, their own form of music soothing him.  The scent of wildflowers and dew upon the leaves as droplets rolled from the top of the canopy wafted strongly in the air.  The sickly sounds of a wounded animal could be heard from a distance he could only calculate as being too far to be relevent to himself.  Indeed, it seemed at least one of the predators of the jungle would not come for him seeking to fill its belly.  

The jungle is alive with the sound of mu… "Gods be damned!" … sic, Icarus thought to himself, sighing at the interruption.  Well… seems like some fool has fallen somewhere judging from that yell and the thump of earth against an empty skull.

Icarus turned in the general direction of the ruckus and proceeded cautiously.  In the best case scenario, Icarus could hopefully get directions from whoever it was.  In the worst case scenario, however, he'd be stuck carrying some injured person that twisted their ankle walking through the jungle.  

After a few short minutes, Icarus could hear the person talking and some rustling in the bushes ahead of them both.  As it was, he stood on the opposite side of the person from the sound.  Now that he could hear the tone better, it seemed more accurate to say it was a boy barely old enough to carry a sword for battle.  

At last, a slight growling could be heard and Icarus ran forward, pulling the broadsword, still sheathed, out to bear.  Clutching it in both hands, he lunged through the bushes in time to swing and make contact with some large feline creature somewhat smaller than the average man.  "Piss off, you prick!" he said through clenched teeth and the blow sent the predator reeling back, letting out a frightened sound and running away.

Taking a moment to place the broadsword back over his shoulder, Icarus turned around to face the boy.  Truly, it may be a bad idea to trust him, but for what it was worth, he didn't have anything worth stealing anyway.  He reached a hand down to him to help him up.  "I think it's a bit fortuitous that you didn't land about six inches to the right," he said as he heard a squelching sound underneath his own boot when he took a step forward to help the boy up.  "Shit…" he said as he shook his head and looked down.

Author: Hiro Kouen, Posted: Sat Oct 17, 2015 7:22 PM, Post Subject: In The Jungle, The Mighty Jungle (Open, R?)

Hiro was lost.  The raven-haired boy had traveled into the rain forest, expecting to find his way to the nearest town, having just begun his journey across the land.  But now he was stuck here, unsure of how to get to Mamlak city.  The swordsman wiped the sweat off his forehead.  It was just so hot and humid out here.  His father told him he could train inside the heat of a volcano as if it were nothing, while wearing full plate mail!  If his mother was a fire elemental, and his father was fire attuned, shouldn't he be able to handle this kind of heat?

Something wet dripped down upon his head.  Rain?  Yes, it was rain, it was starting to come down on him.  This day couldn't get much worse.  Walking through this twisty, windy rain forest, the young man pushed all kinds of vines, tree branches, and what not out of his way with his toned arms.  His muscles weren't as developed as his father's were.  He was still growing after all, he was only sixteen years old.  His sapphire eyes searched for any sign of civilization.  He pushed back a large branch that quickly whipped back and smacked him in the face painfully.  He stepped back onto an unsteady rock that rolled to the side underfoot, causing him to lose his balance.  He didn't even realize he was on the ledge of a slope!  He tumbled down the slope with a cry, until he crashed to the ground.

"Gods be damned!"  Hiro yelled loudly, mumbling a few curses afterwards.  He landed on his back, looking upwards at the sky through the forest canopy.  He heard something in the brushes nearby,  Footsteps?  He sat up, and reached to his belt, looking for his sword.  It wasn't there.  It must have came loose in his tumble.  He cursed again in his mind.  "Who goes there?  Friend or foe?"  His voice was shaken, but he tried to put as much confidence in what he said that he could.  He couldn't let whatever monster or person there that he was vulnerable.  What if it was some kind of orc?  A rain forest orc.  Did orcs live in the rain forest?  He didn't know.  He hoped he wasn't just caught flatfooted against an orc.

Author: Icarus, Posted: Sat Oct 17, 2015 6:30 PM, Post Subject: In The Jungle, The Mighty Jungle (Open, R?)

Following his resurrection in this foreign world, Icarus had taken quite some time to recover.  He was fortunate enough to have been found by a former member of his Order of Eris, the elite order of warriors he had created in Dae Luin.  Unfortunately, it seemed she was the only survivor.  

After recovering fully in one of the scattered villages of the Bohar region, he set out again, hoping to venture north toward the great city of Mamluk for work as well as information.  He knew nothing of this world and decided upon it being as good a start as any.  At the very least, he could make use of his talents to create connections and perhaps find out if there were any other survivors from the realm he was forcibly expunged from.  

By either luck or sheer chance, the locals had granted him a few supplies as well as equipment to keep him out of his rags.  Gaea only knew how long he would last without even a weapon and only torn clothes to his name.  Now, he bore two weapons, a broadsword a little too large for his liking, as well as a longsword given to him out of the kindness of a young child's heart.  For most, it was a heartwarming scene when he left and the child presented it to him.  It was the last thing the villagers had given him after toiling for a few days in the fields while healing. 

Now, he was only just reaching the edge of Bohar, traveling into the Laeto Rainforest along one of the roads used by traders.  He'd heard numerous rumors about it being rather dangerous in some areas.  It seemed likely the best option for him would be to stick to the roads as best he could.  Without the ability to draw shadows in, he would be using his own life essence to power that magic, a very dangerous proposition as it would age him.  Icarus didn't know if the aging would have a multiplicative factor or entirely no effect on him, but he'd rather not take the chance of dying immediately considering this was a new life he'd begun less than a week ago.

The first drops of rain began to fall upon him, reminding him of the Beastlands south of his own empire in Nataki.  He expected rain-laden jungle, but it seemed the tree boughs were even more densely packed, leading to pitch darkness in some areas slightly off the beaten path.  Given the amount of plant life in the area, it seemed equally probable there were a vast array of herbivores and predators that could be lurking in the immediate vicinity.  

Taking a deep breath, Icarus closed his eyes and gathered his thoughts, sharpening his senses.  He was several days away from his intended destination and it seemed rest would be inconvenient along the route.  Still, a small campfire could usually keep predators away and allow him to sleep.  That was a worry he would think further on later.  It wouldn't be the first time he traveled for days on end without sleep.

Walking along, he began his journey into the heart of the jungle.