120th Trial of Ashan, 716
Aualar rolled over, tired. He slowly pushed himself up, and swung his legs over the side. Sighing, he rubbed his eyes, and tottered out of bed. He wandered out of his room, and stumbled his way up the stairs. Reaching the roof he sat, cross-legged, staring out at the horizon. The sun was nowhere to be seen, the dark morning still warm from the Heart of the World.
He opened his senses, becoming aware of everything. The clatter of people in the street, the smell of the searing pork below him. He let it all come in, and then relaxed, letting it go. The sounds and sights came in, but flowed past his consciousness like water. He breathed slowly, trying to extend his senses, and the bits passed like trills.
Aualar rose, stretching his limbs as he did so. He had been motionless for almost two breaks.
Enough of that for today. I've gotta go get ready, and pack up! He had almost forgotten that today was his first day in the Infantry. He had graduated a week prior, and had been given some time off before his new job started. He slowly walked down the stairs, trying to memorize the shapes and sounds that made this house his.
His mother was in the kitchen, preparing their breakfast. Kyiara was due to rise soon, and Aualar came up behind his mother, hugging her tight. "I'm going to miss you, mom." Since his father had killed himself, his mother had taken over as the primary source of income in the house, as well as managing and running the household. She had given her all for her kids, and Aualar knew that.
"Good morning, honey. Did you sleep well? Excited for your big day?" Vaeey asked, turning around to face him. She was proud of her sons accomplishments, and had pushed him hard to get him where he was.
"Yeah, I did. A bit tired, but nothing too bad. I'm going to go pack, call me when breakfast is ready?" He asked, already turning towards his room.
He pushed aside the curtain separating his room, and looked around at his meager possessions. Other than the clothes on his back, his leather armour, some toiletries and his weapons, he didn't have much else. Packing up was simple, and he was ready within minutes.
Heading back out into the main area, he saw his mom staring wistfully out the window over the sink. She looked troubled, and Aualar was worried. "Hey mom, everything all right?"
She turned away from him, and he saw her stealthily try to wipe a tear from her eyes before she turned around and plastered a smile across her face. "Of course sweetie, I'm just happy for you to be succeeding! It's going to be a big change around here without the man of the house."
Aualar felt a twinge of worry in his chest, but he banished it with a shake of his head. He walked over to their cupboards, and grabbed out several plates, setting the table as his mother leaned against the counter, watching him. He pulled their breakfast out, and set it on the plates, leaning up to kiss his mother on the cheek as he finished up.
He walked to the other end of the room, and pushed aside his sisters curtain. She was asleep on the bed, small limbs sprawled out as far as they could. Her hair was tousled, and her open mouth had a small line of drool winding its way down to her sheets.
He creeped up towards her, and grabbed her shoulders, shaking them hard and shrieking in a falsetto. Kyiara leapt up, squealing as she woke up. Her shirt caught fire, the flames beginning at her chest. Aualar bent over, barely able to breathe as he laughed. Kyiara doused herself with the glass of water on the bedside table and swatted at him. "Not funny! What the hell man?! You know I hate it when you do that!" She looked down to survey the charred shirt, and swung at him again, frustrated and embarrassed.
Aualar feebly blocked her hands, still unable to get words out between his gasps for air. He stumbled out of her room, still bent over and almost crying. His mother was standing on the other side of the curtain, her hands on her hips. She shot him a disapproving look, but couldn't keep a straight face. She smirked at him, shaking her head at the futility of reprimanding him.
After breakfast was done, and their dishes had been cleaned, Aualar grabbed his pack and headed for the door. He paused, and turned around, saying his last goodbyes. They likely wouldn't let him have time off for a while, what with basic training beginning and whatnot.
He opened the door, and took his first step towards a new future.
He opened his senses, becoming aware of everything. The clatter of people in the street, the smell of the searing pork below him. He let it all come in, and then relaxed, letting it go. The sounds and sights came in, but flowed past his consciousness like water. He breathed slowly, trying to extend his senses, and the bits passed like trills.
Aualar rose, stretching his limbs as he did so. He had been motionless for almost two breaks.
Enough of that for today. I've gotta go get ready, and pack up! He had almost forgotten that today was his first day in the Infantry. He had graduated a week prior, and had been given some time off before his new job started. He slowly walked down the stairs, trying to memorize the shapes and sounds that made this house his.
His mother was in the kitchen, preparing their breakfast. Kyiara was due to rise soon, and Aualar came up behind his mother, hugging her tight. "I'm going to miss you, mom." Since his father had killed himself, his mother had taken over as the primary source of income in the house, as well as managing and running the household. She had given her all for her kids, and Aualar knew that.
"Good morning, honey. Did you sleep well? Excited for your big day?" Vaeey asked, turning around to face him. She was proud of her sons accomplishments, and had pushed him hard to get him where he was.
"Yeah, I did. A bit tired, but nothing too bad. I'm going to go pack, call me when breakfast is ready?" He asked, already turning towards his room.
He pushed aside the curtain separating his room, and looked around at his meager possessions. Other than the clothes on his back, his leather armour, some toiletries and his weapons, he didn't have much else. Packing up was simple, and he was ready within minutes.
Heading back out into the main area, he saw his mom staring wistfully out the window over the sink. She looked troubled, and Aualar was worried. "Hey mom, everything all right?"
She turned away from him, and he saw her stealthily try to wipe a tear from her eyes before she turned around and plastered a smile across her face. "Of course sweetie, I'm just happy for you to be succeeding! It's going to be a big change around here without the man of the house."
Aualar felt a twinge of worry in his chest, but he banished it with a shake of his head. He walked over to their cupboards, and grabbed out several plates, setting the table as his mother leaned against the counter, watching him. He pulled their breakfast out, and set it on the plates, leaning up to kiss his mother on the cheek as he finished up.
He walked to the other end of the room, and pushed aside his sisters curtain. She was asleep on the bed, small limbs sprawled out as far as they could. Her hair was tousled, and her open mouth had a small line of drool winding its way down to her sheets.
He creeped up towards her, and grabbed her shoulders, shaking them hard and shrieking in a falsetto. Kyiara leapt up, squealing as she woke up. Her shirt caught fire, the flames beginning at her chest. Aualar bent over, barely able to breathe as he laughed. Kyiara doused herself with the glass of water on the bedside table and swatted at him. "Not funny! What the hell man?! You know I hate it when you do that!" She looked down to survey the charred shirt, and swung at him again, frustrated and embarrassed.
Aualar feebly blocked her hands, still unable to get words out between his gasps for air. He stumbled out of her room, still bent over and almost crying. His mother was standing on the other side of the curtain, her hands on her hips. She shot him a disapproving look, but couldn't keep a straight face. She smirked at him, shaking her head at the futility of reprimanding him.
After breakfast was done, and their dishes had been cleaned, Aualar grabbed his pack and headed for the door. He paused, and turned around, saying his last goodbyes. They likely wouldn't let him have time off for a while, what with basic training beginning and whatnot.
He opened the door, and took his first step towards a new future.
