Starry Skies
While we cannot know for sure what the distant future holds, we can know where happiness, strength, and wisdom are to be found. It is, within, then and now, the things we can know and the many things we cannot, which we find these essential truths.
Rain. It hadn't rained in weeks in Etria. Scorched earth seared the pathway and the adventurers didn't like it. Why was the life of an adventurer so hard? Holy damn.
Well, no matter. They didn't like it. Then, and so they go into the pub. It's still fun as usual. Smell, people, excetera, excetera. You name it. It's all there.
For Carmichael, he loved the scent of the leaves. Minty. It tasted so good. He would eat this and that all up. Anyway, there were people in the pub. He says hi ho. They say yo ho ho.
He's done. He's happy. He's good. Over. That is all.
Anyway, he goes by and says hello. And he asks them if they are interested in a song. He sings them a song. He asks one of the ladies if she'd like to dance. He cops a feel. He then proceeds to a skit. The skit is based on an Etrian Odyssey tale, of great men and fallen angels.
He speaks of a beautiful, young angelic mage woman, who hailed from a different country, and asks a man to stand up and tells him that there was a man of yay height, and a man of great stature. The man fought with each beasts as their courageous, gallant leader. They ventured through the woods, defeating the perilous enemies. One by one, they travelled down the labyrinth, victory at their heels. That was until they fought a big, bad monster. One as big as this high, and this wide. They rushed it, but to no avail, the monster would not die. What was the group to do? That was until this young man. Please stand up! Took out his medicinal pouches and with adriot skill, patched his strong guild-members. It was tough, but by the end of the fight, they had won, bloodied, worn, but victorious.
They took a warp wire, wrapped it gently around their hands, and headed back to the pub for a hearty, victorious celebration. "It is the tale that I foresee in all of your eyes and there will be many, many more!" Carmichael wrapped up. "May you all be victorious in your ways! I, Carmichael Angelo shall be your very witness!"
The younger woman from before, eyed him from across the bar, alone this time. He walked up to her. "Young, madam, you have me charmed." he whispered. "Would you care to be swept away in the arms of a devilishly rogue and chic man?"
She obliged. And he grabbed her by the hand and lead her to a small pathway trail of the woods. "It is wonderful, my fair lady." he said. "The night is young, and your face is glimmering so vibrantly. Back when Etria was but a budding establishment, these lands were of great danger. But have no fear, I shall be your man tonight, as I am no coward!" He playfully thrusted his free arm in the air, and then jabbed her ribs.
Lightly, he brushed up against her and took a hold of her in his arms, staring deeply into her wide, beautiful eyes. And for a quick second, he could hear her heart skip a beat. He then gently kissed her forehead, rolling his arm backwards, and lifted her up.
"Life is of small moments, my lady. The labyrinth is no exception. I have seen a beauty such as yourself, come and go, and I believe we all deserve to live life to the fullest, and at one moment's time. Happily, merrily, for this time is but ephemeral, and it too will pass. Live with no regrets, with love, passion, and most importantly, to live courageously."
She wholeheartedly agreed, and with the fervent heat of the night, they strode on. Time surely had passed, maybe an hour or two, under the stars, woman in his arms, and he gently kissed the sleeping woman once more, and went into the night.