Wind and Water Chapter IV: Every Time you Start Down a New Road

Disclaimer: Mabinogi belongs to Nexon and whoever else developed it... enough said.

A/N: Every Time you Start Down a New Road is a quote from the chapter, as well as an original character's theme. Sorry about last chapter, I kind of went on and started the original plot arc anyway... got kind of carried away lol. If you like the story, then I'd like you to do one of two things: Review or put this on your Story Alerts list. That way, I know you like it, or at least find it interesting enough to pass time reading.

Ne?- Right?

"Speaking" "Reading Aloud"

Narration- Describing off-screen events (When it appears in story)

'Thinking' 'Telepathy'

Underlined text is written on paper/wood/etc.

Flashback, Memory, and Similar.

"While in flashback, this is speaking."

'While in flashback, this is thinking.'

I collapsed, my body quivering from exerting itself, and Sert put a pair of comforting hands on my shoulders as Ranald and Trefor turned back to us, cursing at the creature's escape. Before they could even take a step toward us, I blacked out again, exhausted both physically and mentally.

The last thing I heard was a chorus...

"Master!"

"Aeria!"

And then I blacked out.

"Wrong!" I shouted, knocking the knight in training's sword from her hands,. "You swing the blade with your arm..." I turned, and parried another trainee's weapon, before striking it again and disarming that trainee as well, "but the power behind it comes from your heart!"

The trainee sighed, reaching down to pick up her practice sword and lifting it, removing her helmet to allow her to see her surroundings better... it was an attempt at mimicking me I thought. She charged again, and I blocked her blade, staring into her clear, blue eyes that were partially hidden by several locks of the same color. She broke away and her comrade came in from behind, but I parried her sword as well, "You don't," I pushed, knocking the blade I was locked on out of its wielders hands, "have enough," I turned around, stopping with my own blade inches away from the blue-haired trainee's neck, "heart!"

I awoke to find myself being carried piggy-back by Ranald.

"But really, thanks Ranald! If you and Trefor hadn't come along, we would have been done for!" Sert spoke from behind me and to the right. 'Thanks Aeria!' I blinked, confused as there was no one else there. Maybe it was a memory resurfacing?

"She's awake." Trefor noted from behind me and to the left. "Oh?" Ranald spoke up, turning his head to the left and looking me in the eyes, "how're you doing, Aeria?"

I nodded reassuringly, even though I was still sore. "That's good." He spoke, before turning ahead and moving on. "So Sert tells me you took on two goblins at once, twice in a row, and then a giant spider immediately afterward. Not only that, he also says you managed to hold your own against a pair of gray werewolves for a little while. I'd say you've improved a lot..."

I shrugged, I just did what I had to do. "Don't be so modest!" Sert cut in, "You were amazing! Even in the end- if you hadn't hit that... whatever it was with your spell, Ranald might not be here right now."

I shrugged again, and Eiry looked at me closely, "I think Master's still tired..." She turned to Sert, "It's because Second's too loud! You woke her up early!"

"What?" Sert cried out indignantly, "I did not!" Ranald and Trefor had stopped walking and were both looking at Sert oddly.

"You should have Dilys check your head out, Sert... I don't think you're concussion's healed up entirely." Ranald spoke up, and Trefor nodded.

"What? No! It's her fault!" Sert spoke in his own defense, pointing at Eiry... who had moved so that, to Ranald and Trefor, it looked like he was pointing at thin air.

"I'm sure..." Ranald spoke dryly, before continuing on down the path. "Trefor, make sure he sees Dilys."

"What? But-but-I healed up fine!" Sert cried out as Trefor dragged him off to Dilys, Eiry giving him the red eye as he vanished from view. "As for you," Ranald spoke, his voice clearly directed at me even though he was facing ahead as he took me toward the inn. "you pushed yourself a bit hard there, didn't you? Some of that was pretty reckless."

I shrugged, and Ranald continued, his tone changing drastically, "but if you hadn't done it, Sert might not be here... I might not be here... So I'll let you off this time. And... here we are!" He said, setting me down gently in front of the inn. I nodded my thanks, and he smiled, giving me a thumbs-up sign, "Good job, Aeria. See you later!"

I nodded and stepped inside... watching him from the door. His relaxed, happy demeanor vanished as soon as he turned around. Obviously he was worried, and putting up a front. "Hey Aeria, you look a bit roughed up." Piaras said from behind me, and I turned swiftly to see him standing in front of me, arms crossed (2). I had the decency to look a little sheepish as I looked down, but to my relief, Piaras just put a hand on my head, "Go get cleaned up, kiddo, I'll be here, as always."

I nodded and went upstairs to bathe. As I washed, I couldn't help but think back on how Alby had been darker than normal... and the unknown fomor... the broken statue... and most of all, the dreams I'd had today. When I finished and settled into bed, sleep did not come. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw images from my day. Bloody corpses, of human and fomor, the broken statue, and those eyes... The crystal blue eyes, deep as the ocean, and the red eyes, as vibrant as hot fire... but dim, as if they were merely warm coals... Every time I closed my eyes, if I saw no images, then those eyes stared at me.

I opened up my window, and stared up at the moon, where it was half-full. 'Staring at the moon again, moon-gazer? Do you think she's staring back?' I shook my head, clearing my thoughts, and then I heard it. Among the howls of wolves, and chirping of crickets and croaking of frogs, someone was singing. Hurriedly, I put on my boots and shawl and hurried outside wearing nothing but my nightgown and shawl, ignoring Piaras' exclamation as I went out the door. I walked up the hill to find Nora singing in front of a pair of graves.

Before I could do anything to draw the inn-girl's attention, I head fabric shift behind me, and I felt a cool, gentle hand on my shoulder. I turned to see Nao looking down on me with a small smile on her face, and a finger held in front of her lips. 'Nao!'

"I'm sorry I'm so late, Aeria... but happy birthday!"

'Nao... Alby dungeon was weird today, and the boss was a fomor that no one's seen before.'

Nao's gentle smile faltered slightly as she looked up toward Nora, singing in front of the graves, "The seal holding back the fomors has weakened significantly. Not even I know why, and Morrighan is... out of reach."

I frowned, 'I thought that the seal would hold for another seven years.'

Nao turned back to me, her smile sad, "So did I. So did Morrighan... It looks like you won't be able to grow up normally like we had planned. I have to go now... but you should talk to Duncan about the Sealed Doors, and remember... You're not alone this time, either."

'This time?' I questioned her, but Nao didn't respond and faded from sight, making me wonder if she had really been here. That was when an owl dropped a small package into my lap with a note attached to it.

I almost forgot to give you your birthday present!

-Nao.

Opening it, I pulled out a small golden ring torc that had another note from Nao tied to it. 'This torc is enchanted to absorb some of the damage you take (no matter where you're hit). Don't worry about outgrowing it, it's also enchanted to grow with you.' (3)

I took the note of the torc and placed it in the pouch before examining the torque. The front of it was open ended, so I pushed the open ends apart... which was surprisingly easy, by the way, and placed it around my neck, taking care to ensure that the string Nao's first gift was tied onto my neck with didn't get pinned under the torc. That was when Nora stopped singing and noticed me standing there. "Aeria, what are you doing up at this hour, and in the graveyard no less?" She spoke, walking away from the graves and toward me.

I pulled out my notebook, but before I could start writing, Nora answered herself, "Ah, wait! You couldn't sleep, and you heard me singing, ne?" She finished smiling.

I nodded. "Are you wondering why I'm singing in the graveyard?" At my nod, she shrugged, "Well, I suppose anyone who doesn't know the story would wonder at it."

"You see... Shortly after I was born, my mom died, and my dad died from a disease before I could really remember him. So, Piaras raised me at the inn, where I greet the various travelers that come by here. And then, I met you, and you've kinda become the little sister I might have had if my mom hadn't died."

I didn't know what to do to respond to that, so I just stood that, and Nora patted my head, "You're too serious, Aeria! You're just a kid, remember? Don't worry about it, I'm fine."

I nodded hesitantly, before pointing to the roof of the inn peaking out over the hill. "You're right," she said, "We should probably head in, ne? Come on."

Nora led me down the hill, away from the graveyard, and I looked back at the graves. Idly, I wondered if I had any family in the life I led before Nao pulled me from the void. Did I grow up with them... or did they die, the way that Nora's parents died, without leaving anything other than me behind? I shook me head in an effort to clear my thoughts, and realized I had stopped walking when I saw Nora several steps down the path, looking at me curiously. I hurried up to her side, "What took you? Usually you outpace me easily." She teased, and I shrugged, not willing to take the time to answer her, or tell her what I had been thinking about.

"There you are!" Piaras said when I stepped through behind Nora, "Geeze! I go worrying when you charge out the door, and it turns out that you went up to the graveyard to see Nora, didn't you?"

I nodded sheepishly. I had been a bit hasty, for little to no reason. "Ah, whatever. It's getting late, so you should go up to bed."

And so I did, walking up the stairs and to my room at the end of the hall. Or, I tried to, anyway. I stared out the window from my bed, listening to the howls of wolves in the fields. It was a long time before I fell asleep.

"You know Aeria, you're not alone anymore." A woman behind me spoke, but I didn't turn around, watching smoke rise from a burning village below me.

"Be that as it may..." I spoke, "Stay here while I deal with him. If you were to be injured, let alone die, I would never forgive myself."

Before my companion could respond, I dashed toward the village. It was not long before I came across my adversary, a man with tanned skin, wreathed in flames. He finished setting fire to a house and turned, smiling a manic smile when he saw me. "If it isn't the Storm-Witch, nice to see you here!" He spread his arms, gesturing to the destruction around him, "What do you think? You like it? It remind you of home, as the Talbanians broke past your walls?"

Even if I wasn't actually my home city as it was attacked by the Talbanians, the reference was still infuriating. I charged, and he smiled, sending summoning his jouhyou and sending it blade flying at me. I struck hard with my sword, knocking the rope dart off-course. It spun away quickly, but my opponent grinned sadistically, and I turned, eyes widening in horror. The blade of the jouhyou was on a direct course for a small child, and the man I was fighting made no moves to correct it. The dart moved in slow motion as I rushed to intercept it, but it was too far away already. It neared the child, who watched it, eyes wide, but then a woman dashed in front of it, and it impaled her. My opponent's grin widened, even as my horror grew.

"Maria!"

"Aeria..." She coughed, "look after them..." She spat blood, giving me a sad smile, "keep the children safe." And then my opponent tore the jouhyou from its place, and she collapsed, eyes dim. I felt myself fading, even as tears threatened to escape my eyes,

"Maria... why?" I felt my body grow lighter, as if it were made of air, "Why?" I asked, as my vision blurred, and the village vanished from my sight.

I awoke shaking, remembering my dream vividly. This was the third time I had had such a dream within the span of, roughly, a day, and I could no longer push them aside. My mind spun with questions, who was the girl with the blind-fold? Who was the man wreathed in flames? Who was Maria? Who was I? But no answers came. At least Nao's statement from last night made sense now. I looked outside to see the blue of early morning, and set to getting dressed. Eiry watched me worriedly from her position, hovering over my bed. "Master, are you okay?"

Instead of nodding, this time I shrugged. I really didn't know. I headed downstairs to see Piaras was already up, as expected. He noticed me, "Morning Aeria." And then he noticed how shaken I was, "You okay?" Again, I shrugged. "You don't know? Did you have another dream?" I nodded, and wrote in my journal,

'I remember it. I had two more... I remember them too.'

"Isn't that a good sign then?"

I shrugged again as I wrote, 'I have more questions then answers and I'm not sure I want to be able to remember two of them...'

"What do you mean?" He asked, but I shook my head and gestured to the door. He was obviously worried, and wanted to know why I was so bothered, but he understood it was my past, and had apparently decided that it was my decision if I wanted to share it or not. He handed me eightty gold to go eat breakfast, and I nodded my thanks as I walked out the door, heading to Caitin's grocery. I was met with a similar greeting as I walked through the door to see Caitin frosting a cake. "Good morning, Aeria, are you alright? You look a bit... off." I nodded this time, trying to save myself from a repeat conversation, but Caitin was more insistent then Piaras. "Are you sure? If something's bothering you, you should really talk to someone about it."

I shrugged, pointing to a strawberry and some bread and placing my money pouch on the counter. Caitin grabbed the bread and strawberry, counted the money, and then proceeded to hold the food out of reach, "You get this if you promise to talk to someone about what's bothering you. Don't leave any details out, either." I looked into her eyes and saw that she was truly worried and sighed, before nodding. "Give it to me in writing, so it's binding." I wrote it on a piece of paper torn from my journal and handed it to her,

'I, Aeria, promise to 'talk' to someone about the thing that's bothering me.' She nodded, accepting it, and handing me my food, "If you haven't talked to someone about it next time, you have to pay twice as much!" She called as I left, and I sighed again, wondering who I would 'talk' to about it. After a brief time spent pondering, I decided on Duncan, but that would have to wait until I finished my chores for the day. I walked to the Inn to see Nora standing outside as usual, apparently she had woken up shortly after I did. "Hey Aeria! Uncle said you remembered some things... Don't let it get to you, okay?" I nodded, at least Nora didn't hound me like Piaras and Caitin had. I stepped through the inn's door, and promptly bumped into someone. I stepped back as he spoke, "Ahh... sorry about that, I'm not a morning person." I noticed who it was and tilted my head inquisitively.

Standing before me, his hair in the same messy state it was last night, was Sert. "Ah, Aeria! Morning..." He noticed my expression and tried to figure out what my question was. Eiry elaborated for me, "We didn't know you were staying at Piaras' inn too."

"Ah!" You could have seen the gears shift into place in his mind, "I'm actually not from Tir Chonaill. I'm visiting from Dunbarton."

My mouth formed the 'Ah!' shape, and he nodded scratching the back of his head... maybe that was why his hair was perpetually messy. "Yeah... I decided to see the world so, instead of going to school in Emain Macha. My sister, Syra, thinks it's stupid of me, but..." He left this sentence hanging, unsure how to finish it, and I just nodded, as was customary of me.

I looked to Piaras, who was watching us talk, and he continued, "Ah, today's Samhain, so don't worry about any chores." I nodded, and then turned, intent on seeing Duncan.

"Later, then, Aeria." Sert said as I started up the hill, I turned and waved as he headed off to do some errand or other before classes began. I arrived to see Duncan standing outside his house watching the sky as per usual. I waved to him and he turned, his traditional smile on his face. His smile faltered when he focused on my face, something in my expression giving him pause. "Hello Aeria, what can I do for you?"

And so, I began writing, detailing my conversation with Nao and the dreams I'd had. When I was done, and he took the journal and began reading, his smile bent down into a neutral line. It was the first time I had seen Duncan actually look serious about something. "This... this is troubling indeed. Come inside." He guided me in, a hand on my back, and shut the door behind him... It was also the first time I had seen him close his door during the day while it wasn't raining or snowing (4).

"I suppose I should start with the doors as they're the more immediate concern... I'll get to the point... The dungeons are, in essence, an immensely complex seal matrix designed to inhibit the fomors in their attempts to enter Erinn. The statues of the goddess serve to close of and isolate sections of the dungeon and keep certain types of fomors there. When you offer something to the goddess, she sends you to an appropriate location for your intention, but that location will then be cut off from other parts of the dungeon. However, in three of the dungeons, there is a large door behind the alter. Those doors lead into the dungeon without the statue to intervene... meaning that through the door you can access the entire dungeon. If the door is left open, the fomor can do the same. The seal on Alby's door has weakened to the point that, with the help of a particularly powerful individual, it can be opened. Not only that, it is open... partially, anyway. It's why Alby is suddenly so much more dangerous, and why all the torches went out. The worst part is the only two people I know of who could restore the seal are both missing..." He stared into the fire lit in his hearth, a frown upon his face, and I stared into his eyes as they reflected the flames. He sighed and turned to me, "Well... there's nothing we can do to fix it now. I'll have Ranald stop sending apprentices into Alby and place Trefor on guard with the more experienced students outside it. As for you... You should go to Dunbarton to receive additional training. There's nothing you can do here, and you need to become as strong as possible, as quickly as possible."

"As for your dreams..." He smiled again, thought it seemed weaker now, like it was transparent, "You shouldn't worry about them so much. The answers to your questions will come in time. The past is in the past. I'll send a message to Trefor, you go talk to Ranald."

I nodded, and opened the door, "Aeria." He called out, and I turned around, "Nao was right, you know. You are not alone."

I nodded again, and left his house, setting off down the road. I looked up and noticed the sky above had grown dark and gray. Looking down, I had noticed less children were at play, and the eyes of the adults were worried. I continued on, walking down to the school, past the square, Caitin's grocery, and the church, burning the village into my mind as I passed. I came to the school to see Ranald supervising his newer apprentices as the more experienced ones sparred with each other. I fetched a note from my pocket and handed it to him as he turned to me, having noticed his approach. The note was simple, but the implications behind it were tremendous.

'Don't send any more students into Alby. - Duncan.'

He might have have cursed when he turned to the side, but I could never be sure. "That bad huh? Alright, I get the message." That was when I wrote my own note and handed it to him.

'Duncan wants me to go to Dunbarton.'

"Ah man, this is going to cause some headaches." He turned around, "Level tens and above, supervise the others!" He turned back to me, "Come on, I'll get a recommendation written out and help you get ready."

He led me into the right school building, the one opposite Lassar's class room. Once inside, he pulled out a piece of paper and began writing as I watched impassively, my mind still buzzing with thoughts of my own- too many to focus on any single one. After a while, he lifted to his face and examined it. After finding it to his satisfaction, he handed to me, "Give this to Aranwen in Dunbarton and she'll accept you as a student. Now..." He opened up a storage closet and removed a pair of steel bracers, large enough to cover my forearm from my elbow to my wrist. There were several dark gray lines on each one which formed the visage of a pair of swords. "These are supposed to be given to apprentices after they pass their final exam, but I'd say you're ready for them. Come on, try them on."

I nodded, taking the bracers and fitting them about my arms, tightening the leather straps on them so that they wouldn't fall off. "Well, don't you look like a little soldier now?" Ranald joked, though it was obviously hollow. He turne dserious once more as he placed his hand on my shoulder, "Now, be careful out there, alright? Tir Chonaill is a peaceful place, but it's also cut off from the rest of the world... who knows what things are like out there, if they're getting worse here, right? And, remember, every time you start down a new road, there's an old road behind it."

I nodded, and he sent me out, "Well, later Aeria. When you come back, you better be able to give me a run for my money in a fight, got it?" I nodded again and set off to the inn, my face blank... even more blank than usual. Behind me, I could hear Ranald speaking to his class, "Alright, listen up! Something's going down in Alby, so we're not going to train there anymore..."

I reached the inn quickly; it was only twenty feet or so down the road, after all, and saw Nora standing outside as usual. She was leaning against one of the posts supporting the inn's overhang, watching clouds drift by in the sky. She noticed me approaching and smiled, though her smile dimmed somewhat when she saw my expression, "Hey, Aeria! Nice bracers."

I nodded, and her smile lost its glimmer for the first time I had ever seen, "You're leaving, aren't you?" At another of my traditional nods, she smiled again, though it didn't reach as high on her cheeks as it normally did, "Well, good luck!"

I stepped past her and into the inn, where Piaras looked at me, noticed my expression and the bracers on the wrist, and promptly tossed me a bag of coins which I caught easily after having a year's practice catching his throws, "Spend it wisely, okay kiddo?"

I looked inside... twelve rolls, so one thousand, two hundred gold pieces. I nodded my thanks and started up the stairs to my room. Inside, I looked at all the sketches adorning the walls, incalculable in number, and to the small table where I kept my journal and pencil, and then once more to the windmill outside the window that I would stare at for hours on end. It turned, as it always did, at a slow, steady rate. After a few moments, I retrieved my traveler's bag (a gift from Malcolm a year ago that had seen little use), and began to pack. I placed the pouch I had gotten from Piaras into the bag first, followed by my journal, and a sketch of Tir Chonaill's windmill I had made (the one sketch that turned out as I had intended it to). Really, I thought as I looked at my room, there wasn't much worth packing.

With a small sigh, I took all the sketches down and stacked them into several piles on the desk, leaving them for Nora and Piaras to do with what they will. I made the bed, and then shut the door behind me. It fell into place with a small thump that hung a note of finality high into the air. I walked downstairs and Piaras called out, "Hey, don't forget to get a traveler's cloak. Wouldn't want you cold, wet, and shivering when you show up at your destination, would we?" I nodded to him and went out the door, passing Nora who called out, "See you later, Aeria!"

Up the ill I went to Caitin's grocery to pick up some bread for my journey, which Caitin refused to sell, as promised, until I proved that I had talked to someone about my troubles, at which point she gave me the bread for free, as well as another three pieces. "Make it last, Aeria." I nodded, placing it in my bag and walking up the hill to obtain some potions (and bandages, at her insistence) from Dilys, "Having the means to patch yourself up afterward doesn't justify becoming injured, be careful out there." I nodded, once more, and set off down the hill, passing the square and then the church. Outside the school gate, I paused though. It wasn't for a sentimental reason, as my resolve was strong enough to set out, no... I stopped because Sert was standing in the middle of the road, one hand on a burlap sack, and the other on the hilt of a new sword. He had a small grin on his face as he spoke up, "Hey Aeria, you're leaving too? What a coincidence... Want to travel to Dunbarton together? I've been meaning to visit Syra in person for a while now..."

Apparently, Sert had discovered my destination and used it as an excuse to accompany me. I tilted my head, before shrugging, and he took that as an affirmative, because he fell into step beside me as I crossed the bridge into Tir Chonaill's southern field.

I resisted the urge to look back as I stepped into the forest that the road to Dunbarton led into. The road to Dunbarton, and the road to whatever the future had in store.

"Hey Aeria, did I ever tell you how good of a cook Syra is?" Sert spoke in contrast to the mood.

"Read the mood, second!" Eiry reprimanded him.

End Notes: If you're thinking this is a bit fast for Nora to tell Aeria her full private story, be that close, or something similar to that... remember that this is a year after Aeria arrived in Erinn, and unlike the actual in game milettians, Aeria ages at the same rate as tuatha da danann. That's a LOT of filler, and I skipped most of it to spare you.

1:) Amaranthe: Greek word. The Amaranthe is a flower that symbolizes immortality, undying passion, etc. etc. The immortal flower, her full name is Amaranthe ves Chala Valencia. Ves signifies she is the first born of a noble family, Chala comes from her mother's name, and Valencia is the family name (ves is an, as far as I know, original, made-up particle).

2:) Is it just me or has Aeria become everyone's little sister?

3:) My explanation for accessories never becoming too small, and somehow adding to your defensive stat and protecting you even though they barely protect anything by themselves. And by the way, Nexon spells Torque incorrectly. It should be Torc.

4:) Seriously, his door is never closed in-game, even at night, while it's raining.

Character Bios for the Chapter (Because last chapter had no bios, this chapter will have five bios and an encyclopedia on locations mentioned in the chapter that aren't actually visited.)

Name: Piaras {P-are-us}

Appearance: His hair is short, black and combed neatly to either side of his head. His face is lean and youthful, and his eyes and small, nearly unnoticeable smile give the impression that he's a friendly, easy-going guy. He wears a dark-green vest over a long-sleeved, white shirt, and a pair of light brown leather pants with matching shoes.

Other Information: The owner of Tir Chonaill's inn, Piaras is suitably friendly and likable, but he's also strict with his money. Piaras had been traveling Uladh and returned to Tir Chonaill upon news of his brother's (Nora's father) death. Presumably, he also took control of the inn from his brother, and took care of young Nora. He agreed to allow Aeria free room and board in exchange for help with various errands and chores after a conversation with Duncan. During the year Aeria has spent with him, he's come to consider himself partially responsible for her, as she stays under his house, and acts as familiar and fatherly to her as he does to Nora. Because Tir Chonaill hasn't been receiving much traffic (not that it ever does), his rates have increased drastically.

Name: Nora {Nor-uh}

Appearance: Her hair is short and honey-blonde, combed so that everything but a few rebellious bangs on her forehead comes together at the base of her neck. She wears a dress with a white blouse and brown skirt, and a green, well-ironed apron that, unlike most aprons, has a solid back (which reaches her waist) and front (which reaches her knees and has an opening at the top reminiscent of a vest). Her aqua-green eyes are large and the grin she usually sports gives her a carefree, friendly expression.

Other Information: Bright, optimistic, and generally likable, despite having lost both her parents, Nora greets travelers as they enter Tir Chonaill's inn. Despite, or maybe because of, her arguably childish behavior, Nora hates being treated like a child, or being referred to as childish. During the year that Aeria has stayed at the inn, Nora has become something of an older sister figure for the amnesic girl. Since Aeria is mute, she doesn't tend to socialize with anyone she hasn't been introduced to, and tends to stay in her room and sketch when she's not visiting Duncan, helping around the inn, or training. Thus, Nora has taken to visiting the younger girl as she has come to the conclusion Aeria must be lonely since the amnesic girl does nothing but stare out the window and sketch (or at least attempt to sketch) what she sees. Even though Nora's job is to wave customers into the inn, there haven't been very many travelers in Tir Chonaill as of late. In fact, the most they had in a single week during the missing year was a traveling couple, so Nora's job has become relatively unnecessary.

Name: Ranald {Ran-uld}

Appearance: His hair is medium-length and dark brown. The right side of his hair has been grown out to reach his chin in order to hide a scar, and his strong, kind face endears him to his students (when he's not making them run drills). He wears a dark green shirt, over which is a light-brown vest that has an opens slit in the front with strings crisscrossing it so that the vest can be adjusted for the person's size. He also wears a pair of dark gray pants and simple leather shoes.

Other Information: Ranald was trained by Duncan, and as a result he respects the Chief even more than most of Tir Chonaill's residents. Ranald is very skilled with the blade, and teaches melee combat in Tir Chonaill's school. He's known for running drills on the straw training dummies whenever he doesn't have any students to watch over or errands to run. Akin to Piaras, Ranald feels responsible for Aeria because she's his student, and if Aeria is injured, he lectures her strictly, and mentally lectures himself for failing to teach her well enough to survive. Unlike Piaras, who is particularly close to Aeria (out of his tenants- Nora doesn't count as she's a relative), Ranald feels the same level of responsibility for all his students.

Name: Sertelein {Surt-uh-lee-in}

Appearance: Messy, crimson hair sits atop Sert's head in a manner much like a pile of straw. His wide, carefree eyes are a pair of sapphire jewels amidst a pile of rubies and draw attention accordingly. Sert is fifteen with a fit, lean body, and he wears a leather vest over a white shirt with a pair of iron shoulder pads and a thick black belt that houses both his sword scabbard and a small dagger. His pants are also leather, and his knees are protected by another pair of iron pads. His feet are protected by a pair of sturdy, leather boots that reach just past his ankle.

Other Information: Sertelein is a student of Ranald's who arrived in Tir Chonaill recently. He stays in Piaras' inn and pays his way with the gold he gets from Alby and by assisting the villagers with various tasks from farming to sheep-guarding to simple errands such as fetching water. As a result, he often complains about having next to no free time, though it's mostly with good-humor and meant as a jest. His room is a windowless loft that was once part of the inn's attic because it's Piaras' cheapest available room. He has a twin sister named Syralein (Seer-uh-lee-in), or Syra for short.

Name: Aeria {Air-ee-uh} ~Updated~

Appearance: Long, silver hair is kept in a braided ponytail that reaches halfway down her back, with a several stray bangs on either side of her face. Her eyes are gray and dull, like a pair of cold stones, and her mouth is almost always a small, flat line, making her look too old for her age. She wears a leather dress with a pocket sewn into it over the left side of her chest, and a dark brown belt holds it to her waist as it's a bit too large. The dress reaches to her knees, and a series of long, leather strips extend from the belt to the space just over her knees where they're fastened to the dress with metal studs. Her boots are made of dark leather and reach halfway up her shins. Over her torso, she wears a gray shawl that fastens over her collar bone and reaches to the center of her back and hangs over her elbows. Around her neck is a gold torc (gifted by Nao) and a leather-string necklace that bears a pouch holding the five stones Nao gave her when she came into being. Eiry is sheathed in Aeria's belt, but does not have a scabbard. Oddly, the belt isn't worn by the short-sword's blade.

Bio: Aeria is a spirit called forth from the void into the soul stream by Nao to help prevent the fomors from invading. She was reborn in the body of a ten year old so that she could grow in Erinn and recover her missing memories, but on her eleventh birthday the fomors' seal was weakened drastically, making the odds she grows up normally low. Additionally, she's clinically mute, but was somehow able to produce sound when faced with a desperate situation, even though the sound was an unintelligible screech. She's accompanied by the spirit of her sword, Eiry, wherever she goes, and, because she's mute, Aeria usually communicates with other via writing in her 'conversation journal' (as per Eiry's suggestion). Aeria, during the missing year, became a student of Ranald and Lassar. During this time, she showed exceptional talent in both swordplay and magic, and was given the option of furthering her education in Dunbarton if she ever wished to learn more, as Tir Chonaill only taught her the basics. It should be noted that Aeria has yet to try using a bow or any weapon other than a sword, so her talent may not necessarily be limited to swordplay. For all this, however, she's still insecure and socially awkward, though she has the determination and courage to move past her insecurity when the situation warrants it.

Void- The gap between realities. Void is, by definition, emptiness. Aeria recalled that it looked like a vast white expanse, in every direction, and that there was no sense of either up and down, or right and left.

Soul Stream- One of Erinn's astral planes. This is Nao's dominion, and its full purpose is unknown. It likely serves as a conduit for reincarnating the souls of Tuatha da Danann, as well as Milettians (It makes sense that a Tuatha da Danaan can reincarnate, but only after death, whereas a Milettian can reincarnate at any point in their life after they've lived for a year- which for Milettians in the game is equivalent to a week, but I removed that from the story to save confusion).

Dunbarton- The cultural and economic center of eastern Uladh, Dunbarton connects southern Uladh to northern Uladh. It's a fortress enclosed on all sides by thick, stone walls and is famous for its hospitality and various commercial structures. Most of its territory is actually unclaimed and even though it is a fortress-city, it has very few guards. The cold wind of Sidhe Sneachta meets the warm wind of the ocean and creates a weather front, making Dunbarton a relatively rainy territory.