A Night on Deihar Mountain (Halcyon Hero)

OoC: Here's the thing, HH. Got eager, and couldn't wait. Just Altra will be wonderful.

BiC: “Syawyna naem noyclah seod tahw.”

As he finished the incantation, the circle he had drawn upon the ground began to glow. From between the complex lines, something began to visibly materialize. The circle stopped glowing, and then vanished. It had not been as grand or mystic a thing as it had appeared. Two sandwiches sat where the circle had been; one with chicken, mustard, and peppers, the other with lettuce, tomato, cheese, onion, and ham. He bent down to pick up his food items. Careful not to let any of the contents fall, he checked to see if they were clean. They had been on the ground, after all. They were perfectly edible.

“Here you go,” Shisho said, handing the more substantial sandwich down to the homeless man he had just come across. When he had asked him for money to buy food, he thought that he could give him something one step higher. Besides, they had both been hungry at the time. A single sandwich was the least of what he could do. “Thank you, kind wizard,” the man replied, accepting the food, “I wish I had something to offer in return, but the best I could give is a chance to slug me cross the chin.”

“No, that‘s no problem at all. It’s a free sandwich.”

Taking a bite of his own, the purple clad magic user started back down the street. A chance for charity was always an acceptable loss of time. Though he did have a destination, it was not urgent that he be there. On his way to an emerging mercantile republic, chasing news of a newly discovered ruin in need of cleansing, he had to pass through a well trafficked border town. Though the distance between the border and the next civilized area was not far, he decided to spend the night where he was. As luck would have it, his decision was better than he had originally anticipated.

Being a key location in a small trade route, the town’s traveler information hutch was well advertised. The town was one of two that marked a straight path through a small, yet dangerous, range of mountains. It was the only way from one country to the other that did not include going around the range. The path was the most efficient small shipment route in the entirety of the five closest states. A stop at the town on either end was a must for anyone carrying goods through the range. Unfortunately, the path, despite being quick to traverse, was just as dangerous to cross as the rest of the mountains.

Beyond the barred gate of the town, the rocky path begins. It leads uphill, until it widens out into a fiery depression. A somewhat active volcano (Not visible from Shisho’s side of the range), constantly pours ash and flame onto the path, leaving pools of magma many places along the way. Despite, it is quite straightforward and harmless, as long as one can avoid patches of hot ash. The rockiness, though it does not get in the way, does hide the real threat. Terrible snake creatures, and their eggs, come out when the sun is down, forcing the journey across to be made in twelve hours.

Shisho, having arrived at midday, found himself fortunate when he stopped at the information hutch. Not only could it have possibly saved his life, it gave him a chance to relax. Mostly, he just sat in the room he rented, and practiced his spells. When he felt he had been doing that for too long, though, he took a stroll through the town, helping the people when he was called upon, as if anyone actually called upon him. He admired the architecture, noting the cobble streets that seemed out of place amongst the wooden buildings. Finishing his sandwich, he began a search for a library.

His search revealed a small bookstore. The vicinity, though less traveled than the rest of the town, happened to be in something of a commotion. From the street the Mage walked on, he could hear someone yelling loudly. Moving past his destination, he turned away from the bookstore, looking into what was perhaps the only ally in the entire town. In it, he saw a somewhat muscular, green haired teen verbally abusing a small, gray haired boy. A stomach churning scene, but not his business at all. Domineering older sisters often berate their younger brothers for one reason or another.

He made a wrong assumption. It quickly became obvious that she was trying to scare the boy in an attempt to mug him of whatever money he had. It became obvious when the purple clad magic user saw a small knife in her hand. It very suddenly became his business. “Hey, whoa! What‘s going on here?” he bellowed, suddenly popping out from behind the corner. The girl jumped slightly, but did not seem deterred. She pointed the knife his way. “Get lost, shades,” she demanded, brandishing her weapon. She sounded younger than she looked. Not intimidated, he approached her.

“I’m going to give you one chance to leave,” Shisho said, trying to sound as mature as possible. The girl did not seem impressed. “Too bad,” she responded hostilely, “you’re not gonna get jack, but this!” Thrusting her arm forward, she made a stab at him. As his clothes suddenly turned red, her arm proved unable to pierce his armor. As she held the blade to what would soon be a bruise on his stomach, he reached his gloved hand down, and took the knife from her by the blade. It was a plain kitchen knife. With a scoff, he tossed the thing down behind him. “There goes your chance.”

Backing off slightly, the girl pushed the young boy to the ground, and put up her fists. The Mage still would have let the juvenile delinquent leave, but she clearly had no intention. A good shock would teach her right from wrong. Casting Lightning, he pulled his fist back. Thrusting forward, he let the bolt fly. The girl was struck, and fell to the ground. She moaned and groaned, but would ultimately be alright. Lightning was never more than painful. For a moment, he thought that he had perhaps gone overboard. Then he thought about the people that went as far as to kill thieves as young as her.

“You don’t deserve any better,” he said. Evil at any age irked him severely. Trying to seem less intense, he walked over to the young boy, who was crying into the ground. Crouching down, he tapped the boy on the shoulder. He looked up at him. “You should probably go home,” Shisho said, doing his best not to sound like someone who just knocked a person younger than him to the ground. Without saying a word, the boy got up and ran. As he watched the boy run away, he rubbed the spot where he had gotten stabbed. His little act of vigilantism had consequences.