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Post by Joe on Jun 18, 2011 6:52:52 GMT -5
As the sun rose Asher hopped down from the rocks into the camp, he went around and checked the perimeter of the camp and took a slow inventory of the people that lie about, ensuring nothing had snuck by in the night and taken one. He came upon Amber as she slept peacefully. He smiled softly and knelt quietly next to her, slowly reaching his hand out and touching her cheek running his fingers down it gradually.
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Post by Jenny on Jun 18, 2011 7:42:11 GMT -5
Amber stirred slightly in her sleep and murmured something unintelligible about her dream. She sighed softly and turned on her side, her fingers curled up in the soft fur lining the blanket she lay on. An old woman was sitting beside the fire, kicking up the embers to bring it to life as she stoked it with the last of the deadwood. She chuckled a little to herself, her wrinkled eyes crinkling pleasantly as she watched the shaman. She let him be. The princess needed a touch of love, since she had lost her mother.
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Post by Joe on Jun 18, 2011 8:22:11 GMT -5
He noticed the old woman watching him and looked down, he placed his hands on Amber and said a soft prayer asking to give her strength then he stood and continued his check-up of the campsite.
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Post by Jenny on Jun 18, 2011 8:29:52 GMT -5
The old woman smiled at him when he looked at her, nodding a little and turning her attention back to the fire. Amber slept all the more peacefully, her spirit bolstered by his prayer. As the sun touched the mountain peaks the camp slowly awakened. Amber stirred at last, shivering a little at the cold and rolled up the sleeping blanket handing it back in thanks to the woman who had lent it to her. The tribe gathered their belongings, making sure that no resource was left behind. They harvested the remains of the caribou and made a meager stew of it, doling it out in small portions among the group. The fire was extinguished and scattered so that it may no longer burn on. The tribe gathered together when they were ready and Amber led the way into a mountain pass. Their footprints was left in a light coat of snow that started to fall upon them.
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Post by Joe on Jun 18, 2011 8:35:23 GMT -5
Asher walked alongside Amber at the front of the group as they followed the trail along the mountain side. He glanced up at the snow-covered peaks with a worried expression. Suddenly a baby started to cry somewhere in the crowd. Asher thrust his arm out in front of Amber, signaling for them to stop. He was silent for a moment, listening carefully as he gazed back up at the peaks. "...Do you hear that?"
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Post by Jenny on Jun 18, 2011 8:41:45 GMT -5
The mother immediately tried to hush the wailing, murmuring soothing words to the baby and instead trying to make it laugh. Amber stopped in her tracks, nearly bumping into his arm. Everyone froze, looking from one to the other in confusion. Amber looked at him and gazed up towards his line of sight. The mother managed to stop her baby from wailing and whispered a bashful apology. “Be silent,” Amber turned her head towards the group gathered behind them. There was a shudder in the ground as the rumbling started to grow more apparent. Amber closed her eyes in dread.
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Post by Joe on Jun 18, 2011 8:46:48 GMT -5
He cursed as he felt the forces rumbling down the mountain. "Go, take them." He started to run to where he felt the epicenter forming, looking back to her as she hesitated, "Go!" He started to see the cresting waves of snow as they cascaded down the mountain, boulders falling along with them. It would crush every person on the trail if he didn't stop it. He planted his feet firmly in the ground and began a ritual, gathering snow on the ground.
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Post by Jenny on Jun 18, 2011 8:53:27 GMT -5
Her face froze in fear, her eyes lingering on the mountains. The light above grew hazy from the snow kicked up in force. She was jolted back to reality as Asher told her to go a second time. She nodded and turned towards the tribe. “Go, that way. Run!” They did not hesitate, and turned around, heading the way they came. Amber yelled above the din. “Stop for nothing!” Falling would be ill luck and she hoped that no one stumbled in the snow.
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Post by Joe on Jun 18, 2011 9:04:56 GMT -5
He gathered a pile of snow then threw it in the air, spreading it like a cloud of dust. He whispered something then lifted his staff, holding his hands out toward it as it levitated from his hands and flouted into the midst of the snow cloud he had thrown. He began shouting incantations as he prepared the shielding ritual. From the staff, faint beams of light shot from its ends covering the length of the earth where he knew the avalanche would fall. The snow was now upon them, and it crashed down onto them, but it stopped where the lines on the staff had extended, plowing over top of them forming somewhat of a tunnel around the group as they ran. It was a sight to behold, the snow formed around them, pushed away by the shield he had conjured moving around them perfectly. Dark light and smoke began to emanate from his eyes as the strain to hold together the shield as the avalanche bore down harder started to intensify, he hoped Amber didn't see. He looked to his left, all the villagers had fled from the path of it. As he looked back forward an enormous boulder fell through the shield, colliding with his arm. He felt the bone shatter and he clutched it, stumbling backwards. The shield spell fell as his channeling was broken, and the storm of snow washed over him.
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Post by Jenny on Jun 18, 2011 9:11:32 GMT -5
The tribe screamed in fear, some fell and skid in the snow, only to discover that the snow had not crushed them. Other hands lifted them up and they continued to run. The princess had said to stop for nothing, so on they went. Amber slowed as she heard the sound of snow. This time it was different. The tribe slowed as well and she ordered that they continue on until the snow tunnel was clear, that she would join them there. Amber stopped and turned around, hearing the sound of footfalls behind her get fainter and fainter, the sounds of fear getting quieter. So they had done what she had asked, and she thanked them for it. She stepped forward, fear in her belly coiling. She walked through the tunnel to the mound of snow that had fallen to the ground and started up the mound. Boulders were scattered here and there. Amber closed her eyes a moment and opened them suddenly, sending her soul into the spirit world. Amber hoped to see a shimmering, some sign of Asher’s own body beneath the thick blanket of snow.
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Post by Joe on Jun 18, 2011 9:14:49 GMT -5
There was no sign of his essence, some rocks still tumbled down the hill bouncing and flying off the trail down the mountain. The snow had washed over the trail and down the mountain, it could've carried him down but if it had, there was no way he could've survived.
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Post by Jenny on Jun 18, 2011 9:20:35 GMT -5
Amber put her hands to her face, the spirit world fading around her. She pushed aside the fatigue and the pain in her head, tears starting to fall down her cheeks. Since she had not found his essence it was very likely that Asher was dead. She slumped to her knees in the snow, putting her arms around herself. There was so much loss, her heart couldn’t take much more of it. Shivering in the snow for several moments she stumbled to her feet and started to follow where the tribe had went. The shield had completely given way, the path was no longer clear of snow, and it was hard to gain her footing. She fought her way through the snow, sinking to her knees into it at some points, but the tribe needed her. She wouldn't abandon them even though she wanted to search for Asher. But doing so may get her killed and then where would the tribe be?
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Post by Joe on Jun 18, 2011 9:31:59 GMT -5
After Amber and the others had progressed down the path a fair ways, Asher was suddenly behind them, rounding the bend as he walked slowly to catch up with them. He looked just the way he had before, only his clothes were more tattered.
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Post by Jenny on Jun 18, 2011 9:39:14 GMT -5
They would have to double back and take a new route through the mountains, and it was greater risk that the tribe may be exposed. The route now completely enshrouded in boulders and snow was now impassable. Amber paused as she heard soft footfalls behind her, and jerked around, expecting to see the Sandaha at their heels. She was completely taken aback as she saw that it was Asher. She broke out into a run and threw her arms around Asher. “I thought you were dead!”
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Post by Joe on Jun 18, 2011 9:47:13 GMT -5
He looked nervous but collected as he explained, "No I.. was able to get out of the way." He smiled as she withdrew, he looked past her at the blocked path, "I'm sorry.. I couldn't stop it completely."
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