He was getting tired of mountains.
He strode carefully across the canyon path, stones tumbling away from his hooves. Every one of his movements was amplified here - the quiet rolling of pebbles became a rockslide, and the skulking slow steps became ringing gongs. He had abandoned any attempt at secrecy long ago, and now simply walked ahead - sun beating heavily across his back, neck lathered in sweat. Mortal bodies were not very good at enduring, he'd noticed. A slight tip in the scale of heat or cold, and they would abandon ship, leaving the occupier to struggle for every little movement.
He glanced to the sky, squinting against the sun's bright glare. It seemed almost amused at his trials, glowing ever the brighter as the day moved on. He was already halfway through the pass when he at last caved and tuned back the way he'd come. But there was no longer a point in escape - he would suffer on, because there was a sliver of chance that he was on the right trail. At times, he felt that he would abandon hope, return to the Dawn court and lock himself within their expansive library, to breathe scroll dust and binding glue until he found a cure to his ailments. But then his collar would rattle, or blue gem would flicker to life, and he would be reminded that he would have to take the smallest chance as an absolute certainty. This world would need him free soon enough.
"Really?" the voice echoed down the cliff faces, bouncing cheerfully about the stonework. Kaladin turned in the voice's general direction - it seemed to be coming from further into the mountain pass. He tipped his head, eyes glimmering with calculation. Would it be worth risking company for the relic? He had made this miscalculation before and paid dearly for it. Still, his lonely wanderings had left his body starved for attention. It would bring some relief, at least, to have someone by his side. At least for a time.
He found the owner of the frustrated tones further down the canyon, glaring so reproachfully at the towering rocks that Kaladin would have thought they had insulted him. He was impressive, as mortals went - thought shorter in stature then Kaladin, his girth was twice that, powerful body accentuated by red tones and a pair of spiralling horns that reminded Kaladin of dragons he had seen in one of the library's scrolls. The man had enough allure that Kaladin approached, mortal body drawn to a fellow soul, especially one that promised protection. Kaladin felt that he could, for a time, endure this determined creature's company.
He walked up to the man and placed himself alongside, following his gaze up the clifface. "You know, glaring at the mountains is not going to make them move." he pointed out bitingly. The man was determined but foolish. It was a common quality amongst mortals, he'd noticed. Still, Kaladin was glad enough for company that his mood and speech remained rather upbeat."I would suggest simply searching for a proper path upwards. Unless you have magic - say, levitation?"
@Camdis
He strode carefully across the canyon path, stones tumbling away from his hooves. Every one of his movements was amplified here - the quiet rolling of pebbles became a rockslide, and the skulking slow steps became ringing gongs. He had abandoned any attempt at secrecy long ago, and now simply walked ahead - sun beating heavily across his back, neck lathered in sweat. Mortal bodies were not very good at enduring, he'd noticed. A slight tip in the scale of heat or cold, and they would abandon ship, leaving the occupier to struggle for every little movement.
He glanced to the sky, squinting against the sun's bright glare. It seemed almost amused at his trials, glowing ever the brighter as the day moved on. He was already halfway through the pass when he at last caved and tuned back the way he'd come. But there was no longer a point in escape - he would suffer on, because there was a sliver of chance that he was on the right trail. At times, he felt that he would abandon hope, return to the Dawn court and lock himself within their expansive library, to breathe scroll dust and binding glue until he found a cure to his ailments. But then his collar would rattle, or blue gem would flicker to life, and he would be reminded that he would have to take the smallest chance as an absolute certainty. This world would need him free soon enough.
"Really?" the voice echoed down the cliff faces, bouncing cheerfully about the stonework. Kaladin turned in the voice's general direction - it seemed to be coming from further into the mountain pass. He tipped his head, eyes glimmering with calculation. Would it be worth risking company for the relic? He had made this miscalculation before and paid dearly for it. Still, his lonely wanderings had left his body starved for attention. It would bring some relief, at least, to have someone by his side. At least for a time.
He found the owner of the frustrated tones further down the canyon, glaring so reproachfully at the towering rocks that Kaladin would have thought they had insulted him. He was impressive, as mortals went - thought shorter in stature then Kaladin, his girth was twice that, powerful body accentuated by red tones and a pair of spiralling horns that reminded Kaladin of dragons he had seen in one of the library's scrolls. The man had enough allure that Kaladin approached, mortal body drawn to a fellow soul, especially one that promised protection. Kaladin felt that he could, for a time, endure this determined creature's company.
He walked up to the man and placed himself alongside, following his gaze up the clifface. "You know, glaring at the mountains is not going to make them move." he pointed out bitingly. The man was determined but foolish. It was a common quality amongst mortals, he'd noticed. Still, Kaladin was glad enough for company that his mood and speech remained rather upbeat."I would suggest simply searching for a proper path upwards. Unless you have magic - say, levitation?"
@Camdis
