14th of Summer, 517AV
It was nearly twilight, and Orin had a rare evening off. Normally, he’d spend the evening at home, not really wanting to run the risk of actually seeing anybody. While Orin didn’t have friends in the city, even seeing strangers could be difficult for him. However, the chef couldn’t bear the thought of yet another night spent cooped up in his apartment, especially because, now that summer had arrived, it was unbearably hot there more often than not. So, instead of heading back to his apartment, Orin decided that he’d actually go out for once.
Of course, going out to drink and party was completely out of the question. Even if Orin had been feeling like himself, which he wasn’t these days, he wouldn’t have gone out to the taverns. That had never really appealed to him, since getting drunk and out of control wasn’t something Orin wanted to do. Not after the childhood he’d had. Still that did not leave him with all that many options. With no friends, no work to do, and this late in the day, limited options as to places to go, he was reduced basically to wander around the city. While he could go to the Azurite Watchtower and see if the priestesses there had time for them, Orin didn’t like to waste their time. While objectively he knew that they were always pleased to see him, he still felt guilty for taking up so much of their time.
Still, though, the thought of Priskil did bring one destination in mind. Apparently there was a park in Riverfall that was at least partially dedicated to Priskil. Orin didn’t know much about it beyond its general location. Maybe going there instead of the Watchtower would help to bring some peace to his troubled soul. With that goal in mind, Orin gathered his belongings, strapping his daggers to his hips as he always did, and finally left. The sun was still in the sky, but barely. As he walked, making sure not to make eye contact with passersby, Orin reflected on his time in Riverfall. If he was being honest with himself, it wasn’t much. He’d made no new acquaintances, hadn’t really progressed in any of his various endeavors, and was almost as depressed as he had been the day he arrived. In fact, his life since coming to Riverfall was sort of a blur, with days all blurring together in Orin’s mind.
Maybe it was time to change all that, but Orin still felt heavy, somehow, as if there was something weighing him down. The thought of actually trying to do, well, almost anything instantly caused butterflies of nervous energy to form in his stomach. Without some sort of push, it was unlikely that anything would change for Orin any time soon. Apathy apparently suited him just fine.
At least he was enjoying this walk. Sunset was one of his two favorite times of day, the other being sunrise. While the colors were beautiful, it was true, what was more important was that sunrise and sunset were also two of Orin’s favorite times to contemplation. Probably that had something to with the fact that they were also the two times during the day that Orin was most likely to pray to his chosen deities. There was something special, almost magical about those times – the twilight times, as he called them – and somehow it felt easy to reach out the heavens during those moments. Mostly, Orin prayed to Priskil, but he also had a soft spot in his heart for Syna and Leth. Maybe, he thought to himself ruefully, he simply had a soft spot for tragic love stories.
With all this contemplation, Orin almost missed the entrance to the park, which was surprising, given that it was filled with some rather wild vegetation. Turning on to the path, Orin breathed in the sweeter scents of thriving greenery. The terrain here was rougher than the chef had been expecting, with ponds and marshes scattered throughout. Small blue stones were placed periodically, glowing softly, although as the sun was still up it was hard to tell. Orin wondered what gave the stones their inner light. Probably it was the result of some sort of magic, Reimancy perhaps. Every so often, there would be a sculpture or simply just a huge, but pretty, piece of rock. It was pretty enough, although Orin didn’t know enough about art to make judgments about any of it.
Not wanting to get lost, Orin tried to note where the paths were taking him, although it wasn’t something he was particularly good at. He was walking quite slowly as a result so it wasn’t long before the sun started set properly. Seeing the first fingers of orange, pink, and red spearing through the sky, Orin stopped for his traditional prayer at these times. ”Thank you, Syna for guiding us another day, and Leth for bringing us another night.” Perhaps it was silly, but it did make Orin feel better. Next, Orin tried to come up with a suitable prayer for Priskil. ”Priskil, lady of light and guardian against the darkness, be my beacon in times of need, so that I may bring your radiance to others who need it more. Guide me through the dark thoughts of my mind into your light. And, as always, may your watch be ended soon and you be reunited with your love.” Orin bowed his head in thanks, not really expecting the goddess to respond or even hear. It was more for his benefit than hers, after all.
Realizing that he’d paused before a particularly striking piece, Orin tilted his head quizzically at it. ”Well. What exactly are you supposed to be?” It was definitely his inexperience talking but Orin couldn’t make heads or tails of the piece.
