Faction Verse: Reclamation of Beachside.
Reclamation Report for "Beachside" community [2/3]
Phase two: Preparation
Date: 29th of Thawmist
Outcome: Success
All needed components have been collected and stored away safely. Construction to begin shortly.
It was late in the night and the small lantern that clung to the neck of a shaggy pack llama, shed just enough light for Lucien to finish packing away the last of the materials. Lucien tapped the lid of the supply chest and sighed. It had been a long night moving the materials from the Legions store rooms to the small fishing village. He gave a stretch and sent the llama to graze on the loose bits of hay that fell along the way. He lifted himself onto the supply chest and drew a small wooden pipe from his belt as he watched the small bob of light fade off down the sandy paths of "Beachside".
He relaxed some as he drew his legs under himself and lit the pipe, lifting it to his lips and inhaling deeply. Lucien exhaled slowly watching the small cloud of smoke puff out over the framework of what would soon be a functioning village. Again he brought the pipe to his lips and took another long breath. Leaning back to look up to the stars and slowly blew a cloud into the night sky. A small smile touched his lips, the moonlight lit up the smoke as it rose in silvery rolling billows. As his body and mind began to relax, the sky suddenly started to lighten, a reddish yellow hue that clung to the night sky and spread. A wave of confusion washed over him as a familiar warmth flushed his skin. He slowly turned his attention back to the village and confirmed his fears. The settlement of Beachside was burning.
The sounds of crackling wood filled the night as dark plumes of smoke choked off the surrounding area and stung the eyes. Villagers fled their homes clinging to each other and what little belongings they could hold onto. Their eyes filled with terror as walls burnt around them. The wild shrieks of those unlucky enough to be trapped inside briefly pierced the roar of the fire as flame kissed skin. Lucien's mind screamed for action but his body resisted. Lucien's breath deepened and panic began to set in as the madness around him unfolded.
"Calm yourself boy". The calm, cool voice of his mentor broke through the madness and Lucien's muscles relaxed. “This is not reality”. Lucien could hear the soft steps of Toba approach behind him, but his body refused to respond still.
“Why?” Lucien questioned, his eyes watered against the soot that began to fall like ravens feathers. The madness resumed before his eyes as buildings, wrapped in flames toppled, against one another, trapping the northern half of the survivors behind a wall of ruin and fire.
“So that you may accept what is inevitable”. Toba spoke in his usual cool even tones, confidence behind his words as he always had while giving instructions.
Lucien let a small groan slip. “Spare me yer cryptic ramblins’ ol’ man”. Lucien hissed his words between clenched teeth, The anger at seeing his work burn before him already bubbling within him.
A soft sigh sounded behind him and Lucien could imagine the look of silent resignation on the old man's withered, exotic, features. “If you build this, it will fall. Perhaps not soon but in time these walls, like so many others, will fall. likely at the hands of an enemy.” Toba's weight shifted in the sands as he continued. “Remember the reasons for your actions boy, all choices have weight. “
The old man's words faded with his presence leaving Lucien to bear witness to these horrors alone. So many of his hopes for the North were invested in this first structure, seeing it burn before his eyes made his stomach go cold and feel empty.
It wouldn't take long for the flames to finish their work, consuming everything and everyone within. The ash fell in thick chalky flakes like snowfall from above and obscured the scene from the outside. Lucien watched as long as he could before the ash fall blinded him.
Lucien’s eyes slowly opened to the harsh morning sun and the salty taste of his llama's rough tongue licking him awake. His joints ached and his head was pounding. He pushed the shaggy llama aside and attempted to stand but his legs betrayed him. He fell headlong into the sands with soft thud and cast his eyes upwards. There the Village of Beachside stood untouched, ready for labor to begin. Lucien puffed out a deep sigh of relief and slowly collected himself on his haunches, leaning his back against the chest and once again looking out over the soon to be settlement. A small wooden object in the sand next to him caught his attention and Lucien reached out to grasp the hand carved wooden pipe. With some effort he stood looking down to the pipe in his hands and after a brief consideration threw it into the waters before him. Lucien then collected the animal and started his journey back home, his mind deep in thought.
