Completed Rock Hard (Aoren)

[Letixia Raigner]

Spring 7th-9th, 514 Leti awoke around the sixth bell as usual. She'd decided the evening before that she would focus solely on training her body rather than her combat skills. Ser Ranqor had often told her that one must train all aspects of one's self in order to become the best Knight they can become. Besides, it would be nice to not he hulking around in her full armor every once in a while. She prepared herself for the day, only in her standard attire, her sword and shield with her. Even if she didn't bring her armor, she never left without those. She usually did this sort of training with her patron or other squires, but she felt like having a change of pace. After having a light breakfast she left the dormitories, she made her way out to the lower tiers. If you want to become a better version of yourself, find someone of that quality and do what they do. Her recalling that particular quote set her thinking. If she wanted to become stronger, she needed to find people stronger than herself. While wondering, she'd made her way to the front gates when inspiration walked out. There was a small group of what appeared to be people being escorted out of the city by Knights. They all had quite large and defined muscles, particularly in their arms and torsos. She made her way to the guards at the gate, asking one, "Where are they off to Ser?" He told her that they were all heading toward the mines, most of them were common citizens who'd committed small crimes. This gave her an idea, she'd visited the mines before, but only in passing. She thanked the guard, and followed the convoy out, whistling a tune as she went. She knew it would be quite a hike to get there, but she was enjoying Syna's warm embrace.

[Aoren]

Aoren stood just outside the gates of Syliras. It was a cool morning and he had spent more time than he preferred cooped up inside the walls of the city. The intense feeling of wanderlust was highly distracting.

“I suppose that’s what happens when you spend an entire season without seeing the sky.” His work at the Stormhold Salves shop had occupied most of his time during the Winter season. Many people had gotten sick thus his work load had increased and the demand for him to be at the shop rose as well. As a result, Mistress Blackleaf had eased off of him some during this season since there were now a few more apprentices around the shop.

Standing there he was dressed in a pair of light cotton leggings tucked into his boots. He wore a loose white linen shirt. For a moment he turned his gaze skyward to stare into the vast blue canvas as it was illuminated by Syna’s warmth. Taking a deep breath Aoren turned himself northward. He had decided upon waking up that morning that he needed to stretch his legs and work his body. He’d been idle for much too long. Rolling his shoulders he bounced up and down on the balls of his feet in an attempt to get limber. It would not do to go for a run with stiff muscles. Especially when he’d be carrying his bodypack full of supplies for the hike there. Shaking his arms for a moment, Aoren reached behind himself lacing his fingers together pushing outward so that his chest muscles were stretched. He did the same by pushing his arms outward in front of himself. Once that was done he bent at the waist reaching for his toes groaning as his back muscles protested against the movement.

“I definitely need to do more stretching exercises. I’ve gone all stiff.” Rolling his neck, Aoren shrugged his shoulders before taking up a spot on the dirt and going into a modified hurdler’s stretch. He straightened his right leg, folded in his left then reached down toward his ankle with both arms. He was just barely able to reach. Aoren held the position for roughly ten seconds before switching to the other side. Once that was done he brought both of his legs in so that he could do an easy groin stretch. He pressed down on his thighs with his elbows until he felt a slight strain on his hamstrings. He held that position for twenty seconds before rising to his feet again. Getting his balance, Aoren stood upon one leg then reached around grabbing his right ankle. He pulled his leg up until he felt the muscles in his thighs strain against the movement. He switched legs after a brief interval then jumped up and down once more to get his bearings.

Taking a deep breath he strapped on his pack then set off north on the Kabrin Road in the direction of the Evantide Outpost. Aoren started off at a steady pace. He was in no rush nor did he have anything pressing to do that day so he could take his time. He was not an unfit young man but running certainly wasn’t his forte. He could sprint over short distances but when it came to long distance he was sorely lacking. Aoren aimed to change that. The sound of his feet hitting the dirt, the stirrings of nature and the slight breeze that whispered over his body helped to mitigate any onset tiredness he was feeling. He monitored his breathing carefully trying his best not to gulp for air as that wouldn’t help him build stamina or endurance in the least. He was careful not to fall into the urge to just break out into a dead sprint to go as fast as he could. That would have been a waste of his energy and he intended to go a fair distance that day.

Steadily Aoren’s heart rate went up. His breathing increased. His chest rising and falling at deeper intervals. Before long a fine sheen of sweat had broken out on the young man’s brow.

“I really need to get out and run more often.” He quietly chided himself, displeased with how quickly he was winded. Despite all of this he forced himself to run beyond the stinging in his calves and the ache in his thighs. It would pass. He just needed to get into a good rhythm. After a while though he was forced to bring himself to a walk. Breathing heavily he brought his arms up over his head. Realizing that sweat was already beginning to soak through his shirt he pulled it off using it to wipe his brow. It was a little chilly but all of the running he’d been doing so far made him feel warm. Aoren hung his shirt over his shoulder as he continued to walk.

He’d been running at the point for about thirty chimes. When he felt rested enough to pick up the pace once more, Aoren broke out into an even jog. After a while he caught sight of a group of people making their way along the road as well. It didn’t take much to realize that they were workers being escorted to the Lykolav Mines by a group of knights. When he was coming upon the group he slowed until he was once again at a walk. Some of the workers walked with their heads bowed. Some of them were talking amongst themselves. For the most part the knights were as they always were, quit observant of their surroundings and mindful of their charges. Aoren nodded when he got several looks. The knights didn’t seem overly concerned with his presence.

“Not that they need to be.” Aoren remarked dryly to himself. He did notice a young woman who seemed quite cheerful albeit slightly out of place. She was hanging back from the main group a little ways so Aoren decided to trot up next to her. When he was a few feet away he came to a leisurely pace though he was still breathing more heavily than normal.

“Do you always whistle so merrily on your way to work?” He spoke casually with good humor.

[Letixia Raigner]

As Leti was walking and whistling, a large man, slightly taller than herself, covered in sweat trotted up next to her out of the blue. She smiled up at his attempt at conversation, "Hello. And no not always, and I'm also not on my way to work. Though I am heading to the mines with this group. Do you always meet unknown women while shirtless and sweaty?" She chuckled at his expense, "My name is Letixia Raigner, squire to Ser Ranqor Grayne. And you are?" It wasn't often that she just got to enjoy the nature and sunlight around her. She could hear the man breathing a bit harder than one might expect from someone just walking. Had he been running? It would explain the sweatiness she supposed. She really needed to get out and run more, her patron had hinted at making her work on it more this season. "It's been a long time since I've been to the mines, not since I was a little girl. I can't remember how far away it actually is. Have you ever been?" Then a devilish grin came over her face. She needed the practice, and he looked as if he'd already been practicing. "Do try to keep up." And with that, the squire bolted down the road. She ground her boots into the dirt of the road, and pumped her arms. Her long hair flew out behind her as the wind took it. She knew she couldn't keep up her sprinting pace for very long time. So she set her goal to simply get out in front of the group of Knights and miners. Her breath was already starting to come quick and ragged, her noting that she wasn't controlling her breathing as she did when in combat training. But she forced her way through it. She couldn't see her new found friend, but as she passed the knights at the front of the column, she waved and called out to them. "Good day Sers." After getting about a bowshot out in front of the column, she slumped back into a steady walk. She focused on her posture and breathing, straight back, stomach tightened, air coming in through her nose and out through her mouth. She looked around for her compatriot, smiling as her breath slowly returned to her.

[Aoren]

“Well, the weather is warm and after running a good thirty chimes I’d say you would work up a sweat as well.” He chuckled joining Letixia in her merriment. Call it Spring Fever but Aoren was in a decidedly good mood with the change of seasons. “A squire, eh? Pleased to meet you, Miss. Call me Aoren. I’d give you titles but I have none to speak of.”

Aoren gave Letixia a slight nod of his head. He took another deep breath exhaling slowly still worked up from the sprinting he’d done up until that point. He took a look at the party they were walking with. It wasn’t a rag-tag bunch. The knights were armed to the teeth, ready for anything that might come their way. The workers seemed engrossed in their own world not very concerned with the journey to the mines, convinced that the knights would afford the highest protection. Aoren believed it. He’d grown up hearing nothing but stories of the Syliran Knight’s bravery and heroism in the face of adversity.

“The Lykolav Mines, eh?” He hefted his body pack a bit higher on his shoulders so that the base wasn’t rubbing against his lower back. He eyed the young woman next to him. “You’re traveling a little light aren’t you? You realize you won’t reach the mines until early tomorrow morning, right? Maybe if you were on horseback riding swiftly you would make it by sun down but on foot?” He shook his head. Aoren had never been to the mines personally but growing up in the Fortress City of Peace one had a general idea of where they were located. Near the Evantide Outpost, the mines were about a full day’s worth of travel away from the city.

He noted that Letixia didn’t seem to be carrying any camping gear, any survival equipment, or wilderness gear of any kind on her person. Aoren was at least carrying his pack which contained a torch, some basic wilderness gear such as a bedroll, flint and tinder, a tarp and some rope. He had rations enough for two days but aside from that he was hardly equipped for any sort of lengthy duration in the Bronze Woods or along the Kabrin Road. Before he could comment any further however the young woman bolted off. He raised a hand as if to stop her but was cut short. Aoren’s mouth hung slightly open. He stared after her.

“I don’t think she really thought any of this through.” Shaking his head he called after her.

“Hey! Wait a minute!” Aoren took a steady breath in then braced himself to take off running. He didn’t push himself overly hard. He could see that she was slowing down already after only a few yards or so. When she stopped only a short distance in front of the group of knights and miners he trotted up next to her at an even jog. Aoren laughed good naturedly.

“Well, you certainly left me in the dust. I have to ask though, if you aren’t part of the working party back there—“ He jerked his head in the direction of the miners and the knight behind them. “—what made you choose to go to the mines of all places? I myself decided that a short camping trip, maybe a day or two, was in order after spending an entire season inside the walls of the city.” Aoren shuddered internally. He wasn’t fond of Winter in Syliras. It made for very uncomfortable living. People huddled inside the vast Fortress. Thousands of people to be exact. There was far less air flow in and out of the city, people didn’t venture out to some of the nearby springs to bathe themselves as often, sickness was high and life was generally much more miserable than it needed to be.

[Radiant]

Aoren :

Experience

Skill	XP Earned
Observation	+2 XP
Acrobatics	+1 XP
Body Building	+1 XP
Running	+2 XP
Socialization	+1 XP
Rhetoric	+1 XP

Lores

Lore Earned

Exercise: Stretching And Jogging

Letixia: Squire

Loots

Notes :

Not much I could give, Aoren, but enjoy your grades!

My radiance is not bright enough?

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your grade, beam me a PM and we can work it out.