Encounters on the Road

There was a silence as she no doubt thought about what he had just explained to her.  As he looked into the stars he had a memory resurface.  Lying in the grass, staring at the starry night while Raven stood there, telling him what each constellations and individual stars are named as well as their purpose.  He  had wanted to just look at them but because it was important to her he would listen to her and make an attempt to store all this knowledge in his mind.  Now he was looking at the sky with Raven missing, possibly dead.  Alone with a girl he had only just met who somehow convinced him to take her under his wing and teach her.  He had no idea how he got to this point.  However while it may be uncomfortable for him, and he figured that Raven would probably make a few jokes on him, he supposed keeping her from dying would give him some sort of purpose for a little while.  Up until now he'd been traveling to memorize the land, as well as look for Raven, or at least evidence that she was dead.

Amora spoke up, mentioning how it was good that he was showing her both sides of the coin and how if she only sees one she wouldn't be accept the other.  She then shared what she may have been thinking about:  Learning of both to help her better understand why mankind is so divided.  The result may end up disappointing her but there wasn't much she could do about it.  He then heard her next two sentences, and how she wanted to play a game with mankind.  While he took another large bite of his almost finished stew, he then heard her mention how he wasn't as isolated now and heard her move closer.  He quickly put his bowl down and placed his mask over his face again, fastening it before slowing down and relaxing now that his personal defense was up.  She may be traveling with him, but he was unsure of how long, or if she would one day betray him.  He couldn't take any risks. "Perhaps, perhaps not.  Time will tell."

I smile a bit as i watch you just look up at and watch the stars that are up in the sky. I look up towards them also finding the little lights to be a comforting sight. To know their are millions of little guides lighting up our path during the night. I look around as i feel a sense of calm fill me as i look up towards the stars. Finding the simple action to be strangely very calming. As i turn my head to look at you i ask a simple question. Hey Verus? Why are their lights in the sky, and is their anything beyond them? I ask in childlike curiosity to know these things.

Well if you don't think so i will try to keep you company till you don't want me near you forever. As i said earlier you seem like you could use a friend to help you out. I say with a smile on my face.

Oras listened to her as she asked him what the lights in the stars were and what lay beyond them. He turned to her, no longer faced away now that his mask was on again. "They are called stars. They lie billions and trillions of miles away from our planet. The sun is a star too. Each one is a massive sphere of fire that provides light. The reason the light from the stars isn't as nearly as intense as our sun is due to the difference in distance. If we could see all the stars out in the universe from here, the night sky would never be dark. However due to the sheer size of the universe, there is too much distance between stars for that to happen. Over time people have given names to certain stars, as well as constellations and uses. That star for example, is the northern star. No matter what time of year, no matter where you are on this world, that is true north on this planet. And before you ask, constellations are when people draw an image in the sky using the stars." He used his magic to make it seem as if certain stars connected with light, creating the image of an archer. Only she could see it of course.

When she told him that she would attempt to keep him company until he didn't want him near her. Telling him he could use a friend to help him out. This was something he was just not used to. He typically spent this time planning out his next spells, or where he'd head next. And now he was talking to a girl who wanted to be his friend, despite how he had treated her during combat and the fact that he refused to trust her. Even after all of this. He wasn't used to it. He sat in silence for a moment, staring at the flame as it flicked at the air hungrily. "Are you not concerned with the consequences? I went easy on you with training tonight, I will not do so anymore. I have not shown you any kindness to you either. Why do you insist on traveling with me?"

I smile happily as i see this constellation be made. Finding it to be beautiful if a bit silly. However, i still can't find myself to criticize people doing so. Figuring it is just a fun tactic to know where you are located at all times. Also it is rather beautiful to just look at the starts and imagining all the images that could be up their that people have made from these simple things. Hearing the whole thing about the universe and distance is a little bit beyond me, but i just nod my head like i know what you are saying. Finding that i don't particularly care for the information since i won't need that, but knowing which stars are which would be useful, and be fun to dot out the constellations i find and can see as i travel.

As i look at the night sky as the fire crackles and keeps myself warm i hear your questions as i can only smile as i turn my head to face towards you. I'm not concerned at all Verus. I need to learn and you seem like you would show me the truth of this world. Not those illusions you speak of that people believe. Also i don't care if you went easy the challenge that awaits the following days will make growing stronger easier to tell, and help me to improve myself. Also you have shown me kindness. For example, you made me that remedy that healed up my neck rather well. You tried teaching me camping even though i knew how to do so. You made me dinner when you could've simply to go hunt for myself since i should know the surrounding area. You have shown me kindness even if you don't believe so. I say with a smile on my face.

I insists on traveling with you since you seem similar. We're both rather loners in this whole world. Just in opposite spectrum of what loners are. Yours seem to be from distrust gained by experience. While my being lonely is more of a choice in the matter since i haven't tried getting back into society. With that i decided that joining society would be pointless and confusing so just traveling and taking jobs would be fun. Then i met you someone who could use a friend, and i decided that why not make a friend while trying to survive alongside them in this world. . I say to you as i just turn back towards the sky with a smile on my face as i am totally relaxed at this moment. Feeling rather good about myself.

She started her response with stating how she was not at all concerned, which was her first mistake.  There should always be concern, caution, of some sort no matter what.  Especially with a complete stranger.  They truly did seem to be polar opposites.  She continued, sharing how she needed to learn and how he seemed as if he would teach her the truth of the world.  That was her second mistake.  Truth.  It was life's greatest illusion and everyone fell to it.  There was no actual truth.  Only opinions and probability.  However he'd clear that up in a moment or two.  She continued, how she didn't want to go through easy challenges, but wanted to grow stronger and improve.  This was good and it meant that she had the potential to become strong indeed.  However whether she could physically and emotionally stand it was yet to be seen.  What she said next surprised him.  He'd shown her kindness?  She explained how this was through he healed her, attempted to teach her how to set up camp, and made her dinner despite the fact that she could get her own food.  Personally he didn't see that as kindness, more of ensuring she didn't die.  If he was going to train her, he wasn't going to let her die off on him.

She then told him that she insisted on traveling with him because he seemed, similar to her.  How they were both isolated and alone, however the reason for it was different as she said.  How she had chosen to put off her return to society.  But why did she put it off he wondered?  Was it that she was content with nature?  Was it that she was afraid of what mankind would do?  Was it that she wasn't very interested?  He wanted to know her reasons for doing the things she did.  If he could discover all of her motivations and personality traits, he could get a better idea of how willing he was to go along with this much longer.  She then mentioned how joining society would be pointless and confusing and thus chose to be a nomad, despite the fact that it was the first step to joining society.  Once again, when she described him, it was as someone who needed a friend.  Oras didn't need anything really.  Not currently that is.  Perhaps in the future he may need an ally, but currently he did not.  If he was honest, this benefited her, not him.  Jobs would be more difficult with having to teach her along the way after all.

He decided to reply at last, but he would tackle the topic he stood most strongly on and get it out of the way.  "What is truth?"  When she gave her description, if she used another word to describe it, such as reality, fact, etc. he would ask her what that meant.  He waited until she either gave up or came to the same conclusion he had years ago.

truth? I say rather confused as i then think on the question. What is this idea of truth. I look up towards the stars as i think on this. I think back to what i know of this subject, and how it is identified by people. As i think on this and tilt my head as i look up i know their are many truths, but i also know some of those have been called illusions by you. My face quickly turns slightly frustrated as i think on this subject as i know their should be a rather obvious answer to this question.

After thinking for a bit i just sigh and decide to say what i think the answer is since i can't think of anything else. The truth is things that the people think is correct. Meaning that if the majority think it is correct then that is what becomes truth to the people who know what it is. However, from what you have told me some of those truths are actually lies. Which means if that is the case truths are things that are...hmmm. I seem to pause trying to find the right words going forward with it. things that are actually perceived and have been confirmed to happen every time? I say rather unsure of my answer. Not knowing what counts as such or if that is even real from lack of experience with the matter.

She took her time to come up with an answer, though as he suspected it wasn't nearly correct. She made a good attempt however from using what little information she had gathered as well as what she knew, and what she learned from him. However good attempts meant nothing when there was the end result to reach. He waited for her to finish, hearing her words stating that truth is something that is perceived and happens every time. He chuckled very softly, but not soft enough to the point where she wouldn't be able to hear him. "Nice attempt, with what little information you had. I never expected you to actually figure it out. So far as I know, I'm the only one who knows. Still, it's good to hear you work through it rather than going off of what you had heard.

"Humans define the word truth as 'that which is true or in accordance with fact or reality'. To truly understand this you must understand what reality and fact are. 'Fact is a thing that is indisputably the case', and reality is 'the world or the state of things as they actually exist, as opposed to an idealistic or notional idea of them'. However there is one small issue with each of these statements: Everything changes. Nothing, remains the same way twice. Humans may have patterns and habits, but those can and will change over time. A stone changes as time passes. Everything in this world is made up of particles called molecules that you cannot see with the naked eye. Everything is in constant movement, flux and change. Even the very laws of nature are bent and changed by magic. And magic changes as time moves on. The gravity that holds you down. The time we live by. Everything you know? It all changes.

"The definition of truth, Amora, is that truth is life's greatest illusion. Facts are how humans view the world and nothing more. Opinions do not qualify as truth. And when one rule is made, it is broken somewhere along the line."

I hear all this and find myself lost rather quickly from hearing terms that are a bit above what i understand. However, i can peace together enough to get an idea of what has been told to me. I look towards the ground and thinks on this. If truth is just a illusion then what is real then? I pause and looks at the world around me and form that what is real is what the normal state of the world is. Which is reality. Just that things never truly happen the exact same two times in a row. Even with animals you can guide them just enough but somewhere along the line even if they are the same creature which means they should have the same habits. They do something different which has forced me to guide them in a different manner towards my traps during hunting.

So their is no truth since that is a illusion. Reality is the world that we can see around us, and fact is something that can't be argued against. However, you say that isn't true since many things can happen to change that fact. Mainly magic from what i understood since magic messes with everything. I say to you trying to summarize what i heard and how i understood it to see if i got it right, and understood what i had heard correctly. As i look towards you and then back towards the sky to see how far the moon is up in the sky.

"Think of it this way. Imagine someone spends their entire life thinking that only vegetables were edible. You couldn't eat anything else save for salads, fruits, etc. If you grew up this way without running into any predators, you would never realize that animals were something that you could eat, let alone taste good. Maybe even better depending on your taste. Say such an individual lived long enough to reach the age of forty without knowing this. Imagine the shock and horror he'd have upon learning that what he believed to be the truth was a lie. He'll try to deny it despite seeing the evidence. That is how it works here. There are individuals, creatures and beings out there that can, and will, defy all you know to be true. Just because you don't see the change doesn't mean it's not there. Just like the man who hasn't encountered the predators, you have yet to encounter one of these phenomenons."

He paused and looked back up to the starry sky as he let her sink it all in. So many refused to know the truth, because they desperately reached for something to make the world seem sensible. Man's greatest fear was that nothing was in their control. Oras intended to master the truth, perfect his magic to reveal the utmost truth about the world. His magic wasn't all illusions. It would soon warp the fabric of reality itself, altering time, space, gravity. Even forces beyond their known universe. With it, he could take the world others hold so dear, and shatter, twist, warp, corrupt, until nothing was real.

He turned his gaze back to Amora. "You must understand this truth. You may one day encounter something that defies 'reality' and thus you must be ready for everything and anything. No matter the cost."

I nod hearing your words understanding the explanation in its entirety along with the advice afterwards. Knowing that for myself if i hadn't stolen books about flora and wildlife i would never know that the greens in the forest were safe to eat. That i wouldn't even know what animals i couldn't eat from no experience of knowing if any were poisonous and i would most likely pay that price later. I nod my head in understanding as i start to feel a bit sleepy as i stretch out a bit.

Yeah i understand Verus. I should keep my mind open for things that go against my beliefs if what i am seeing or hearing makes logical sense.That way i won't deny things that would be helpful and are actual factual instead of trying to deny the things that i could be seeing or hearing. Also if anything is possible since well if we can mess with the laws of the universe that means anything could be real. I should be prepared for anything even if it means possibly fighting things from fairy tales that could possibly be real. I say with a shrug believing what i am saying since if anything is real since magic can mess with the laws of what we know. Who says that creatures from stories we have heard as kids aren't real as well. I mean the creatures have to come from some idea that is from the real world. right?

As i look up towards the moon one last time for the night i turn to you. Well Verus i am going to head towards bed now. It is getting a bit late. I say as i find a nice spot along the ground and lays down on it and takes off the coat and puts it on me to keep me warm.

Oras listened as she replied to him. She mentioned seeing and hearing, which he'd handle in later training. Once she was advanced to fight with magic that is. How long that would take was unknown to him as he only fought against her for one day. First was hand to hand combat and terminology. After this would come weapons and fighting styles for different weapons. Only after this would Oras bring magic into the mix. All the way he would be using underhand tactics and dirty tricks to gain the upper hand so that she was ready for everything. Whether she liked it or not, she'd be getting used to that sort of combat to the point where she didn't even blink in response to it. He nodded to her as it seemed that she got the gist of it, when he saw her yawn sleepily.

She mentioned she was heading to bed as it was getting late, but before she lay down onto the ground, he placed a hand on her shoulder and pointed to the tent. "You'll be sleeping in there for tonight Amora. Until we get you your own tent that is." He waited until she did so, waiting until she went to sleep. If she asked him whether or not he was joining her he'd simply shake his head no... Though he would blush a tiny bit under the mask if she did ask. Once she was asleep he would walk over to a tree and scale it quickly, finding a stable branch to rest in, and lay there with his back against the trunk. He sat here to ensure that no one or no thing approached Amora in her sleep.

I nod my head as i head towards the tent as you stop me before i can lay down on the ground to rest. I turn to you with a curious look. What about you Verus? I mean you must've been awake all day also wouldn't you need sleep also at some point? Why don't you join me? I ask as i see his head shake no in response as i just nod my head not really caring to try and pursue a yes answer. Knowing it is your body so you should know if you can handle it or not. I walk into the tent and lay down on the much more comfortable in comparison tent area and falls asleep rather quickly.

Sleeping peacefully and happily in total contentment of the situation.