Traveling to New York, well almost.(Gabriel, Jonathon)

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Several hours out from Fordeth

God it had been hours since their journey had begun, Gabriel knew it would be a hard trip, but their had to be a way to pass the time. Jonathon had not really talked for any of their journey. "So Jonathan, you come here a lot?" Gabriel walked to the side of Jonathon, swung his arm round him and winked in a flirty manner trying to hold back the giggles. Gabriel didn't know how Jonathon would take to this but it was just a bit of friendly banta joking around.

"So you definitely know where we are going then, as I don't want to get lost in the woods alone with you. Who knows what would happen." Gabriel giggled again, he was in a very playful mood. Hopefully that would catch onto Jonathon. 

"Oooooo, I just thought of a good game, how about I name a weapon, then you have to name on starting with the final letter. So I would go first and say Rapier obviously. Now you try." Gabriel was proud of this idea, it would be a fun way to pass the time for Jonathon and him, or maybe telling Jonathon that he was actually a real boy would spice up the journey. Hmmmmm, so much they could do, but he would save that one for later Gabriel thought as that could take a bit of explaining.

[Deleted]

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They had been walking for several hours now and there hadnt been much in the way of conversation, Jonathon had sunken into his thoughts and was content to stay in that abyss for the whole journey, small talk was never something that he saw a point of, nor was speaking just for the sake of breaking a silence.....which was exactly what Gabriel seemed to be doing.

Jonathon flipped off the casual hand that had rested in him, resisting the urge to turn it into a full fip and throw Gabriel to the floor, she was useful to him if what he had heard in Fordeth was true. A cavern had opened up beneath the Sorath graveyard, no one fully knew what was down there but tales were spreading as they were wont to about such a place.

jonathon intended to go down there, and when travelling into a place you know nothing about best to bring backup, even if the only point to the backup is so you have something to push in front of the creatures of the deep while you try to find an escape route, a distraction, or someone to hold them off and cover your back. Jonathon was as of get unsure which Gabriel would prove to be. 

"I intend to get there as fast as we can, no unnecessary stops, we are heading straight for Sorath if we follow this main path we should be absolutely fine"  he said in a stern tone while looking Gabriel directly in the eyes

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SM 35/36

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Jonathon seemed to be having none of it. God he was stubborn, Gabriel knew he would have to change Jonathon for the better even if it did mean he had to throw rainbows at him. "Come on play the game, I said rapier, you could say a ranseur. Which would leave me on r. Dam that was a good one. Well I say recurve bow. Which leaves u with w. I got you now. Oh and your eyes are very dashing Jonathon when you stare at me." 

Gabriel giggled some more. There was no doubt that Jonathon was a fine man, but Gabriel wasn't that type of guy. Maybe if he really was a girl. Maybe then his father wouldn't of disowned him and left him stranded to fight for himself in the woods alone and to die. The only thing to remember him and his mother who knew nothing about this was the dress he always wore and he vowed to go back and to avenge his father and too.... Gabriel realised that he had dug his finger nails into his skin and drawn a bit of blood. Quickly he hid it from Jonathon so he would not know. Gabriel had to forget, he had other things on his mind.

Gabriel mind turned to his dress, it was beautiful really, jet black and lightweight, perfect for what he needed. He swayed in the wind and Gabriel had the urge to twirl, but suppressed it. Maybe after they had done fighting and were safe.

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"Whip" Was the one simple word that came out of Jonathon's mouth, he had of course completely ignored her comment about his eyes, not really caring what she thought about him other than the fact that she was going to stay with him for now. Nor did he care that she was essentially playing this game partially with herself as well as him by answering her own one.

As much he wouldn't admit it though he needed her for now, she was the beginning of what would hopefully one day become a decent following and that would help his power tremendously, to gain power he would do almost anything, and if it meant playing this childish game for now then he would submit to it. He would hope that it wouldn't last that long though, hopefully she'd get bored after not to long.

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SM 34/36

[Deleted]

Gabriel knew that the jorney would be a long one and thought that the longer they play this game the quicker it will go. Gabriel giggled and got in closer to Jonathon to try and make him blush or feel uncomfortable. "Oh kinky Jonathon, I bet you would like a whip" Gabriel giggled then stepped a distance from him but in line with Jonathon. 

"So I have P, hmmmm, well that's an easy one. Obviously a pike would do for any fine man or woman. Now you have e." Gabriel would just try to lose himself in the game. It was the only way that the trip would go faster than it was as it felt like it had fell flat on its face. God, Gabriel wish they could just blink and be in the next town. That would be nice and easy. Too easy.

Now Gabriel turned his thoughts towards his corset. Oh how he loved it, he had secretly had it custom made for him and it defined his hourglass figure. God he loved the feeling of it and had fully adjusted to breathing up and out, instead of just out. It gave him posture too. Some may ask him if it is hard to fight with a corset or do anything but you got used to it as a second skin after a while. Gabriel wouldn't give it away for anything. He loved it.

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Jonathon let out a large sigh, what weapon began with an e, surely there wasn't many that began with an e. As he focussed on it he found he was strugggling, were there any weapons that began with e....if there was then he didn't know of it, as far as he was concerned it was now game over, and it couldn't have come fast enough.

"There are none beginning with e that I know of, game's over now I guess."

Jonathon could see that the day was almost drawing to an end, the sun was starting to fall and he didn't like the idea of walking around in these northern woods, he'd prefer to be around a nice lit fire at the very least, he'd hear there were all sorts of things out here like wolves and Skaldi, he wouldn't want to come across any of them exhausted and blundering around in the dark.

"Here seems like as good a spot as any to make camp" Jonathon said, spotting a small area to the side of the path where the grass was fairly short, "Help me get a fire started, I suppose we'll need one"

And with that he began gathering some small sticks, the weather had been fairly decent recently so hopefully none of the sticks would be to wet, they should get a fire started in no time hopefully. After gathering his meager haul he deposited them in a pile and made a smile pile of some of the smaller sticks surrounded by some dead bark he'd found. It should work..right?

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SM 33/36

(unlearned) Camping I, Knowledge 15, easy 15: threshold 30 

mWlma_CP

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The fire splutttered and wheezed for several seconds before failing, maybe it wasn't as easy as it looks. "Unless you can make us a fire looks like we are having a cold camp"

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Gabriel saw the sun going down and started to grow tired. God this was exhausting work, but it had to be done. As they kept walking Jonathon suddenly stopped and said how they were in a good space. Gabriel looked around and realise that it was as good as spot as any so he went along with it. 

As Gabriel gathered some wood and gave it to Jonathon he watched him start to light the fire, well try. No matter what he did it just didn't work. Gabriel knew he would have to try now. "Yer I think I should be alright at this, fires are normally easy to start, but hell to it." Gabriel was also quietly over the moon that he had won the little game earlier. Just the little things to keep his spirit up.

Now Gabriel sat down and got to work with the fire. Put a bit of wood here, some more here. Put that to that and do that. Hmmm, would it work. Well only one way to find out Gabriel guessed.

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(unlearned) Camping I, Knowledge 10, easy 15: threshold 25
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"Yer we are not having a fire tonight. Guess we should just get as warm as we can and sleep through the night. Good night Jonathon sweet dreams." Gabriel looked at the failed fire in disgust, this really was not suppose to happen. Gabriel the. Turned over and tried to get warm. Well he would have to pass the night somehow.

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"I seem to not be the only one that underestimated the difficulty of making a fire." He allowed himself a small smile at the fact that Gabriel had sought to best him at this yet also could not manage the task. He almost dropped the smile though at the thought of cold camping out here, almost, but not quite.

"I don't fancy a cold camp out here, fire brings warmth and wards off the monsters that come out at night, we need to get this going." Jonathon slowly drew his arming sword, watching the darkness flow around the blade, holding it up as if to ward off evil even when the blade itself was probably the darkest object around.

With his other hand Jonathon tried again, this fire would be their lifeline for the night, they needed to get it going properly, then they should probably establish watches, his memory didn't stretch back to his times before Fordeth, and even then he'd never travelled with less than a ten man armed guard around him and his family.

Jonathon tried once again to light the fire, they needed it to get going.

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SM:32/36

(unlearned) Camping I, Knowledge 15, Simple 15, Threshold 30:

ctT9CFOM

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The fire once again spluttered and wheezed, but a small flame was born from the work, and with careful placement of twigs and leaves the flame grew into a small but healthy fire. "There we go, now we should keep watches just in case, we don't know what lurks out here."

[Deleted]

As Gabriel had started to relax Jonathon had gotten back to it again. He seemed to want a fire more than Gabriel originally thought. Well can't bake a hoy for trying wanting to show off. Then all of a sudden to Gabriel's surprise a flame was born from the wood and cinderlin that was before Jonathon. Wow he had done it, thank god.

"Watches, oh god. Can I have the first rest as I need my beauty sleep" Gabriel winked at Jonathon and then giggled. "I'm kidding I just would like to rest being a girl and all, we get a more exhausted than you big strong men and quicker. Just wake me up in a bit for your turn." With that Gabriel left Jonathon to tend to fire and waited for his answer to see whether he could dose off.

Gabriel turned to his thoughts. What could be awaiting them at the other town, there could be loads to do, or something may have happened to it. Maybe it had been overrun by bandits. Who knew, the world was a weird and mysteriously awesome place all the time.

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"Sure, just sleep with a weapon close, I don't like this place. To many unknowns could be lurking about, i'll wake you if anything interesting happens, if not then I'll wake you when something attacks us." He said that purely out of the hope of giving Gabriel nightmares, he really was a cruel bastard, but he liked that.

Jonathon nurtured his fire, feeding it till it grew to illuminate the area they'd chosen to camp on, the warm glow showing everything around them. Jonathon drew his knife as well, preferring to have both hands full and ready should anything come. He set about pacing the perimeter, walking the line along the edge of where the flow of the fire reached, eyes outwards searching around for anything that could be of harm to him.

His enchanted sword flickered, the darkness dancing around the blade, not a bad blade but not good, but he still felt proud of managing to put an enchantment on it. His eyes flickered to the knife....maybe....maybe he could do something with that.

He pondered it long and hard, what could he do exactly with his knife that would increase it's usefulness, putting a shield on it would be useless and imbuing it with the same Dark Arts that were on his blade already would be useless. The only other magics that he had at his disposal were minor summoning magics, and what could you do with them.

It was worth a shot surely, he had nothing to lose.

Pausing for a few seconds he reached down into his core of power, drawing out an amount and pulling it through him, up through into his hand and through it into the blade, whispering under his breath words as he drew power into the blade.

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SM: 31/36

Artificing I, Thaumaturgy II, Summoning I, Knowledge 15, Difficulty 15, Threshold: 50 

0pxI4YGP

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Something had happened, he didn't know what exactly but it was something. He could feel the power stored within his small knife, he could feel it there, even if he knew not what exactly it meant or if it was useful at all. 

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Gabriel ignored Jonathon's attempts at scaring him and was gone like a rocket. Gabriel laid there in the warm orange glow off the fire. Dreaming of rainbows and happy places. Not of a deep dark scary forest.

Gabriel slept hugging Sally, it gave him comfort that if he needed to wake something was around him that he could trust to keep himself save. Gabriel just needed to catch up on his rest before it was his turn to keep watch .

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Jonathon continued on his watch, continually making circles of the camp, no matter how highly monotonous it was, he really didn't want to be surprised by any random beasties coming out from Dark knows where to ruin their night. He kept his eyes peeled and his hands tight on the hilts of his two enchanted blades, even if he didn't quite know what one of the enchanted blades actually did.

He liked the night, he liked the dark, he liked the feel of it around him and the heat of the fire on his back, the deep contrast between the two was something he enjoyed, the warm heat on his back and the cool dark night on his front, it made the boring job that he had for now much more bearable.

He took a second to look back towards Gabriel sleeping peacefully. He could slit her throat right now. He stopped in shock for a moment, where had that thought come from, he thought he'd settled on her being an ally, yet it seemed that still in the back of his mind somewhere there was a small voice that disagreed. He would have to watch out that he didn't become any darker, or that voice might take over. And then there would be no saving him.

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SM: 30/36

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Gabriel was deep in his dreams, hugging Sally was the only company he had except the wondering Jonathon. Gabriel dreamed of fighting, being in the woods taking on enemies that outnumbered her 1:5. Gabriel would imagine being jumped on from behind and just barely getting away from an attacker to be surprised that there was four more with him.

Gbariel would then pull out Sally and start to duel the first person by slashing and stabbing at him while reflecting his attacks and dodging out the way all looking like this was normal for Gabriel. The first man would go down after a little fight then the second person who came Gabriel would dodge low and stab him up through the chest, then twist and pull out.

The third and forth guy would always come together but Gabriel knew what to do in these situations, he flicked up the second mans sword from the ground and caught it in a spin and threw it straight at the third person, for a clean shot through the eye. Then he would turn to the forth guy and reflect his sword away and out of his hands for him to beg for mercy, and it not to be given by Gabriel. 

Then as Gabriel looked for the fifth guy, normally the easiest as he was scared. He was gone. No he had to be somewhere, this wasn't right. Gabriel's dream, she has control. Everything went darker as Gabriel started to panick a little, slowly spinning while keeping an tight hold on Sally. Then an gleaming blade would poke out from Gabriel's chest. The dream, now a nightmare.

Gabriel suddenly was wide awake.

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Jonathon's watch was uneventful to say the very least, nothing interesting had happened and so he'd just been left to walk around patrolling their rather meager campsite, occasionally feeding the fire some more sticks to keep it going and hoping that they wouldn't be attacked. They were barely a day out of Fordeth, if they were attacked this close to the city in what he'd assumed to be a safe zone then what would it be like when they got further south.

When the moon was at it's peak and the red rings were clear in the sky, when it seemed to Jonathon like it was the middle of the night, or at least as near as he could judge it to be, his eyes began drooping slightly. He may be a man of incredible willpower, but at the end of it all he was just a man, he needed sleep to.

Should he wake Gabriel? Or could he last a few more hours, he seemed to have a hardier constitution and the miles affected him less than they did her so she would need the rest more of the two of them. At the same time though the magic he had worked earlier, although it had been minor, had still sapped him slightly, he was feeling rather tired. If something came out of the bush right now he wasn't at his most alert, it could be dangerous.

Deciding to go with caution he stepped over to Gabriel, prodding her in the stomach with the flat of his blade in hopes of waking her. 

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SM: 29/36 

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After the nightmare Gabriel had slept well. No dreams, but at the same time no nightmares. It must had been a while before Gabriel was woken up before he felt something lightly hitting into to him. Gabriel quick as a flash woke up and reached for Sally, only to realise that it was Jonathon standing over him tapping him to wake him up. Gabriel released his grip on Sally and sat up. 

"God, my watch already, wow that was quick. Well you better get some rest, I will wake you up at dawn. Good night Jonathon sweet dreams." Gabriel felt like there should of been an hug or something, but he didn't try to make a move. Gabriel then looked over to the still burning fire and started collecting a few twigs and sticks to keep it going better. Jonathon had done a good job with it and It would be the only thing keeping Gabriel company for the rest of the night so he better keep it going bright. 

After Gabriel got the fire going he started to pace around, day dreaming to himself and keeping an eye out for any intruders or life forms around.