Clearing Boulders [Private: Farid Issah/Training/Social]

The Western Front is a barren place.  Not much exists there besides an old disaster site and the remains of the Battle of a Thousand Swords.  Otherwise, the place is cold, rocky, and perfect for some quiet training.  Caelus stood on top of a boulder, admiring his handiwork.  Over the past few weeks, he'd taken it upon himself to clear a plot of land of all the stones and debris that littered it.  It had required him to build incredible muscle and endurance, and was likely helped a bit by his Fanalis parentage, even if only slightly.  The plot of land stretched one hundred meters from end to end, save for the last great boulder near the southern line.  Caelus hopped off his vantage point and sprinted towards it, taking a chance to exercise his newfound speed.  The boulders made for excellent resistance training, and Caelus found that he could now run faster and farther than before.

Stopping just short of the boulder, Caelus decided that the best way to move it would be in smaller pieces.  It was as big as he was, and jutting out of the ground like a spear, but what it lacked in size, it made up for in weight.  It must be some kind of metal ore.  There's no way simple stone could be this heavy, or so strangely colored.  The rock was almost crystalline in shape, sharp edges and corners jutted into each other, creating a strangely infinite pattern.  And colors from all corners of the spectrum drifted in and out of each other along its form.  A literal rainbow in solid form.  It was beautiful and different, but it was also the last thing standing in Caelus' way to completing his training.

Caelus knew it would take a serious amount of force to break it, so he backed up several meters and drew Ripple.  He took a moment to stare at the blade and then back to the rock.  "How odd.  Ripple's pattern is smooth and wavelike, but this stone is covered in square angles.  I wonder if their metal is opposite of each other in some way?"  He spoke aloud without realizing.  He shook his head, and took a breath.  Holding Ripple down by his side, he concentrated before dashing forward.  In one mighty swing from Brave Engage Caelus cleaved the rock in two, finding a perfectly straightly line was left by the blow as it cut.  The top piece fell to the ground with a loud *THUMP*, and shaking the ground a little as it did so.  Caelus sheathed Ripple, and tested the weight of the now split stone.  It was still incredibly heavy, but now Caelus was able to move it.  It took him another twenty minutes of hefting the stone pieces, but it was all worth it in the end.  He hopped up on a nearby rock to see his finished project, one hundred meters of cleared stone, leaving only the soft sand showing beneath.

Caelus sat down to breathe and rest.  He had invited Farid out here today to see the results of his training, but the hulking Fanalis had yet to show up.  He was a little relieved however, as now he'd be able to show him the finished product.

Abilities:

Magoi: 60/60
Stamina: 100/140

~WC: 549/500, Warrior Training~

'Ah, now I know where he is.' Farid had been lost for the lost half hour. When he arranged to oversee Caelus' training, Farid's was intoxicated to his limit, making it quite difficult to recall exactly where they had arranged to meet. In fact, he initially though of going straight to the Colosseum, but remember that it was he WAS "A GLADIATOR" not that he wanted to train there.

As he took his leisure time to catch up to his location, climbing over a hill, that lead to a five-foot cliff that allowed him to oversee the area. His eyes could tell from Caelus' posture and the state of the environment that he has just managed to chop the solid rock in half. Such a feat was beyond the physical possibilities on an amateur human, but it was clear he tapped deep into his well of stamina to access such power. Farid sat down over the small cliff and began to clap. "You have much potential, boy! I can't wait until you get a bit more experience so we can spar together."

Hopping down, his knees bending on impact to absorb the shock of the jump. He was carrying his iron club and a new hammer with him.

Caelus turned and smiled when he heard Farid's praise. He waved him over for a handshake, noting the shiny new hammer that Farid had on him. "I've still got a lot of work to do before i'll be ready for that. Ilah knows one punch from you would take the head off a bull." He said, chuckling a bit. "So this is what i've been training with recently. These past weeks i've been clearing this whole area of stones. Just pulled the last one out a minute ago. It was tough, but i got it done more quickly than i thought i would originally." By his own estimate, Caelus thought he would be there for another week at least. But his growth had been remarkably fast.

He took a seat once again, putting his back to a stone and letting out a sigh. His muscles ached, but he felt happy. Maybe it was the sense of accomplishment, the workout high, or even dehydration - Caelus took out his water skin and drank several big gulps at that thought - but whatever it was had him in high spirits. "How are preparations for the voyage coming along? I know i'm not the only one working right now." He said changing the subject. Farid had been planning a trip to Balbadd of all places, and was having Lilithia and Caelus come along. He couldn't remember the reason exactly, something about a business trip, or trading goods. Whatever it was, Caelus didn't really care. He promised to help Farid in whatever endeavors he had in mind in exchange for his help in training. It didn't mean he had to be interested, because frankly he didn't find it the least bit exciting. Hell, that's what i have Telleus for. He manages finances far better than i ever could. Caelus also cocked an eyebrow at the hammer as his eyes returned to it. "And how much was that hammer? It looks almost too pretty for you to be its owner." He said with a mischievous grin.

Magoi: 60/60
Stamina: 100/140

Beginning Rest.

~WC: 349~

"They've been coming along well. I've actually have a choice for everyone. We'll be meeting within the week so we can all meet and discuss exactly what's going on between the four of us." Then he realized Caelus nor Lilithia had probably met his final recruit. "And I hired this cute girl, not quite like Aria, but I think you two would make a cute little couple." His lips curling as he was insinuating a little bit of teasing. "It doesn't seem like she cares all that much about what I'm doing, but she is going back home, and she may or may not stick around." Pausing for a moment to recall what had reminded Farid about the two younglings. "Ah, yes, I think what it was is that y'all are both still innocent."

Farid turned back and whistled to the sky, the high pitch echoing through the environment. Shortly thereafter, a woven rug descended to them as if imbued with magic. "This is one of the ways we can head there. It might not be as comfortable, so I'm doubting we'll all ride on this, but it'd be way faster." Farid definitely preferred the ship, also it'd be something they'd all have to get accustomed to, in the near future.

Farid bared his teeth in an enormous face-covering smile after hearing the comment on his hammer. "Ah, isn't she beautiful? I got these as a pair, the hammer was a hundred K, and the carpet was seventy-five K. I just wanted a replacement for my club, I'm gonna have to get rid of it. Now I'm used to the finer things in life."

Farid observed Caelus as he stretched. "Hey, Cael. You've been training really hard. Now, I might not be the sharpest sword on the wall, but a child like you don't just train without a reason." His face expressing the need for some input from his student.

Farid's words and demeanor were cheerful, and brought a smile to Caelus' face.  He enjoyed the company of the red giant, and all the ribbing that came with it.  Caelus wondered for a moment if this was what it was like to have an older brother.  Growing up, it wasn't something he'd ever thought of.  He always wanted a younger sibling.  Someone he could watch out for and teach important skills.  Caelus caught himself growing sentimental, and took a swig from his waterskin to hide his small blush.  It's not like he's my actual brother.  I barely know the man.  Even as he thought so, he didn't believe it.  There was something about this new camaraderie that just felt... right.  True, they'd only known each other for a few weeks, but Caelus found himself trusting the man.

And then Farid asked about his motivation for training.  Up until this point, Caelus had been masquerading simply as wanting to grow stronger for the sake of it, or to be a better gladiator, but Farid was clever enough to see through his plain ruse with ease.  Even stark drunk, the man had a way of knowing more than he ought.


It took Caelus a moment to respond.  "I grew up not far from here you know,"  He started, gesturing loosely to the east towards Reimano.  "I had all the things a person could want in a home.  My mother and father were together, we were living comfortably if not richly, and i never went a day without food.  My father, Cornelius, worked as a magician for the emperor.  Not high up, but enough to say 'i work for the emperor'.  He was a funny man.  He used to joke that he married my mother because unlike the Rukh, she fought him at every step.  And my mother was... just incredible.  She was a strong and independent woman.  A Fanalis from the Dark Continent who inexplicably fell in love with a magician.  People used to say that only Fate had that kind of humor, and that it had to happen at least once.  Nothing about the two of them made sense, but maybe that was why they worked so well together."  Caelus sighed, reminiscing fond memories.  "My father taught me a lot.  Basic schooling mostly, but also about the Rukh.  He knew when i was born that i wasn't a magician, but that didn't change a thing.  He just wanted me to know about what made him so happy, and why he worked so hard, hoping i'd find something i felt the same about.  And Lalana, that's my mother's name by the way, knew just the same that i hadn't inherited her strength.  But she still made me stand up for myself, and take pride in what i could accomplish.  We were all so happy together, it was like nothing in the world could tear us down.

Caelus' eyes dropped  to the floor, and he felt physically sick as he remembered the worst day of his life.  "Of course, what the world gives you, it can also take away.  When Kou attacked Reimano, my father ran to protect the Emperor, and my mother ran off with me.  Eventually we were found by soldiers, but my mother protected me until her last breath.  Thirty bodies.  That's how many soldiers she fought off to keep me safe, and each corpse was worse off than the last.  But when the dust settled, she was laying in the dirt with a spear in her chest.  Until that point i had never fought a day in my life, but i wanted more than anything to help.  But i obeyed my mother, and stayed hidden."  Caelus stopped for a moment to collect himself, feeling tears well up from the emotions he had buried deep with these memories.  But still, he continued.  "I stayed hidden under rubble until a Reimian soldier found me the next morning.  And i learned later that day that my father had been killed by Kou assassins.  In one day, i had everything ripped away from me.  My home, my family, my whole life cut open and spilled on the ground.  I had nothing but my thoughts to keep me company, and my thoughts began to run very dark."  Sitting up and leaning forward, Caelus held ripple in his lap, and ran his finger over the sheath like one would pet an animal.  "Eventually i had to choose, either give in and give up, or find something i loved and hold it so close that it could never be taken away.  I chose to keep the only gift my parents had left me with: Tenacity.  I decided that i wasn't going to let myself be consumed by hatred and self-pity, and to work towards making my mark on the world.  It was entirely by chance that it happened to be with fighting in the arena, an encounter with a bread thief, and a kind man who saw potential.  But i put myself wholly into becoming stronger, and i'll work towards that goal for the rest of my life.  Because i refuse to be snuffed out.  Not by Kou.  Not by Fate.  Not at all."

Caelus was telling the truth, if only just some of it.  Strength was indeed a way to save himself from despair, but he left out that he felt betrayed by Reim's new leader for letting the very people who took his old life away into the country.  It was a grudge, plain but deep seated.  And Caelus knew that with enough strength he could bring Reim back to glory again.  Not for a noble cause like for the sake of others like him, but to show Fate that he took everything it had for him, and turned it into greatness.  That was his ultimate dream.

But for Farid, for right now, his story would suffice.

Magoi: 60/60
Stamina: 130/140

Resting.

~WC: 997~

A somber mood had filled the air around the gladiator, but Farid was receptive to him. The two that had raised him were also a fanalis and a magician as tutors as replacements for his father. The ogre-like warrior definitely felt a sort of kinship with Caelus and would take care of him, as to make up for his own paternal lacking.

Farid's feet lead him face-to-face with Caelus, and at 6 and a half feet tall, he reached to hug him and dragged the boys face into his bare chest, he stood silent for the rest of their hug. After a few minutes, he would revert to his jokish ways, taking Caelus wherever he wanted on the new magic carpet.

[EXIT]

ALL THE FEELS. Noice.

Caelus was so deep in his head that it took him a moment to notice that Farid was hugging him. It was the first real hug he'd received in years. He accepted it, and returned it with a small squeeze. That brotherhood he felt earlier was real, and this only helped to solidify it. It lasted only a few seconds, but when they parted Caelus was smiling once more. "*cough* how much did you have to drink before you got here? You smell like you cleaned out a bar!" He laughed together with Farid. "Alright, lets go get something to eat. I'm starving, and you need something in your stomach beside booze." With that the pair jumped on the magic carpet and flew back to town, leaving the dour mood behind them.

Magoi: 60/60
Stamina: 140/140

[EXIT]

~WC: 136~