9 – The Star Saphires: Call of the Wild

Date: 10/24/2024

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The crisp autumn air filled the morning as the party prepared for the second day of the race. Johnny lingered at the back of the group, feeling an inexplicable tension in the air, as though the forest itself held its breath. It wasn’t urgent or foreboding—just a quiet sense of unease, like a wound beneath the surface waiting to heal. He took in a deep breath, feeling the spirits calling to him, and then turned to see his companions each focused on their own thoughts.

Janos glanced north, his gaze fixed on the mountains that loomed ahead, and a memory flashed in his mind: his friend Kolotheal scaling rocky cliffs effortlessly, climbing with the ease and confidence Janos had always admired. Kolotheal had been better at it, faster, more daring, and that memory hung in Janos’s mind as both a comfort and a reminder of how far he still had to go.

Clovis, however, sharpened his blade, his mind anchored firmly on the task at hand. He was focused on the race itself, on pushing forward to claim the bounty and prove himself. Every delay was another irritation, another moment spent slowing down to accommodate Janos’s shorter stride. But he kept his gaze set forward, ready to overcome any obstacle in their path.

As the party pressed on, they approached the Saltmire Passage—a broad, well-worn road connecting the port city of Saltmire to the eastern regions. Normally bustling with merchants and travelers, the road was eerily deserted, wrapped in an unnatural silence. The group paused at the roadside, and that’s when Johnny spotted it—a fresh sigil carved into the bark of a nearby tree. It was the unmistakable symbol of the Wild Hunt, newly cut, the edges of the mark still rough and pale against the dark bark. The sigil was a chilling reminder that their rivals weren’t far behind and were likely aware of the party’s every move.

Once they crossed the road, the terrain thickened again, with dense, clawing underbrush slowing their pace. As branches snagged their clothes and roots tripped at their feet, the group chose to search for a clearer route near the boulders on the mountain side. Moving carefully and following faint animal trails, they managed to navigate through the dense foliage with relative ease, emerging onto a clearer, faster path that allowed them to press forward and gain precious ground in the race.

As they continued, Johnny felt the spirit world drawing closer. The wind shifted, carrying whispers that only he could hear. He stopped, rooted in place by an unseen force, as his companions moved ahead, unaware. A flicker of movement caught his eye—a shadow in the shape of a majestic buck, standing at the edge of the trees. Its eyes held an ancient wisdom, and Johnny knew, somehow, that it was a spirit of the wild, beckoning him deeper into the forest.

Drawn by the invisible pull, Johnny followed the spirit buck, leaving his companions behind. The trees grew taller, the air thicker, until he realized he was no longer in the same forest. He was standing in an ancient grove, where the trees were towering and ageless, their trunks wide and knotted with time. Wildflowers bloomed at his feet, and golden sunlight streamed through the canopy. Somehow, Johnny knew he was standing in the heart of the Great Forest, transported hundreds of miles in a single moment. Here, in this sacred place, the spirits waited, offering him a chance to bond with them in a way he’d never known.

Back in the foothills, Narvane, Clovis, and Janos looked back to find Johnny standing still, unresponsive, his eyes glazed. Narvane stepped forward, examining his friend with concern. Whatever had taken hold of Johnny, it wasn’t something he could easily understand or break. Just as they started to wonder what to do, the ground trembled with the heavy footsteps of giants approaching from the west. Clovis moved quickly, stepping ahead to see three hulking figures lumbering down the slope—a trio of hill giants, unaware of the party but closing in fast.

In an attempt to avoid conflict, the party tried to slip into the shadows, but a scrape of metal and the crunch of leaves betrayed them. The giants turned with growls, their gaze locking on the intruders. A boulder came flying, slamming into Narvane, who tried and failed to summon a protective spell. He staggered back, wounded and exposed, as Clovis charged forward, his blade flashing as he struck, severing one of the giant’s arms in a single, brutal arc.

Janos, refusing to be outdone, darted forward and leaped onto a boulder one of the giants was trying to roll. Balancing with precision, he stayed on top as the giant attempted to dislodge him by rolling it. Janos matched the boulder’s rotation, his feet dancing to keep his balance as he skillfully “log-rolled” atop it. With a sudden burst of speed, he launched himself off the rolling rock, swinging his axe down in a powerful arc that struck the giant across the head.

Narvane, weakened but resolute, protected Johnny as best he could, keeping the last giant at bay until Clovis and Janos could finish the fight. With coordinated strikes, the hill giants fell, leaving the party victorious but battered.

Meanwhile, in the sacred grove, Johnny knelt before the spirit of the forest, beginning the ritual of bonding. The buck led him forward, deeper into the grove, before disappearing into the shadows. And then, stepping from those shadows, a hawk appeared, regal and proud, its eyes piercing as it fixed its gaze on Johnny. He opened his mind to the whispers of the wild, feeling the ancient energies flood his senses as the hawk became his spirit guide.

The communion was not easy—the spirits were powerful, and the connection demanded a toll. Johnny could feel time slipping, the pull of the race fading as he delved deeper into the spirit world. The first step of the ritual completed, he could feel the bond forming, the strength of the wild becoming his own.

But the second step tested his resolve. As he reached out to accept the hawk’s power, the bond took its toll, leaving him drained and vulnerable. The hawk watched him with patient eyes, its presence both a comfort and a reminder of the sacrifice required. Johnny had gained new power and connection to the wild as a Spiritbound Warden, but his journey had taken time.