[Session: The Training of Amy] [Scene: Three days after Amy found Alfred. Since, her diet has consisted entirely of vegetables, roots, and some berries. Most of her training thus far has involved meditating in front of a small cup of water.] [It is morning, and the cup of water is still there, taunting her, as she wakes up. Alfred is already gone.] [Session Start] * Amy yawns and sits up, rubbing her eyes to remove the sleep from them. * Amy looks around the cave. ".. Where has he gotten to?" * Amy stands up and stretches. * Amy sighs. "More?" * Amy kneels in front of the cup and starts meditating. * Amy yawns once. "Must.. not.. fall back.. asleep.." * Amy blinks and looks around. What's.. that? ... ... That was odd. * Amy shakes her head and goes back to meditating. * Amy remains meditating. * Amy looks into the Dan-like cup of water. ... What IS that? * Amy frowns. She starts meditating again. * Amy ignores the feeling and keeps meditating. * Amy looks in front of her. ... I must be sleepy still. * Amy starts meditating again. * Amy continues meditation. * Amy continues meditation. * Amy frowns, but doesn't stop meditation. * Amy is whisked away by an icy torrent of water. Waa! What's going on!? * Amy is back in the cave as soon as she opens her eyes. ... That was.. really weird. Is that.. what should have happened? ... Neat! * Amy tries meditating again. * Amy continues meditating...again. * Amy ... surprise! continues with the fun meditation. * Amy is whisked away by an icy torrent of water. Ga.. * Amy tries not to react.. but it's chilly! * Amy is swept down a tunnel by the icy river, as one with the water. She feels cold, but the cold is so natural that it doesn't matter. * Amy resists the urge to open her eyes and look around. * A point of light appears ahead. Hmm? * The light begins to grow. * The point grows with frightening speed into a blazing gash in the darkness. * Amy gulps. * Amy hurtles out of the rock as one with the water into freefall, down a hundred feet into an equally icy, fast moving river. WAAAAA! * Amy really has to fight to resist the urge to open her eyes. * The river hurtles along its course, and is eventually joined by other streams. Slowly, the river becomes less icy, as it exits the rocky terrain it came from. * The river continues along more slowly, seemingly for an eternity, until Amy is scooped out of the river into a small, placid container where she is forced into an awkward shape. Gah! Wh.. what's going on? * Amy continues meditating. * Another eternity later, Amy is poured out through a small hole into another container, this one not as dark. * This container has an open top, and for the first time, there is something interesting to look at. * Amy 'looks' * Amy sees herself, meditating. ... W.. what? * Amy opens her eyes * Amy is back in the cave, looking down at the cup of water in front of her. ... What.. happened? It was like.. I was seeing what water sees. but.. how can water see? ... * Amy looks down at the water again. * Alfred walks in. Very good. Hi! .. What happened? You'll get used to that. It's called communing. communing? You just experienced what that water experienced, from its first 'memories' to now. ... Wow. You'll get used to the sensation. You'll be doing it often. ... if you say so. That was sure weird.. For now, I suggest you force the perception of the water away. If you don't, it will drain you. How do I do that? Don't think. Do. Nature is instinct. * Amy tries to force the perception of the water away. Very good. You've just learned your first spell. ... that was a spell? Wow! Cool! Whenever you need to find water, or determine if water is healthy for drinking, you need only remember the sensations you had. The rest will be instinct. OK! For now, come with me. I need the help of an extra back. * Alfred walks out of the cave. Sure thing! * Amy follows Alfred. * Alfred walks swiftly through the forest, seeminly unaffected by even the thickest of brush and scrub. Amy, on the other hand, is forced to struggle through the thorns and brambles that are occasionally in her path. Ow ;_;. Problem? * Alfred looks back over his shoulder. All the thorns and stuff are poking me. It hurts. I see. I'm sure you'll figure something out. I hope so! * Alfred continues on through the brush for a few more minutes. * Alfred stops in a small clearing. * Amy follows after Alfred, and stops when he stops. * In the clearing, lying on the ground next to a tree is a deer. The deer has two obviously broken legs. Oh no! * The deer is also missing most of its antlers. What happened? It tripped, most likely. Now comes the hard part. The poor thing.. Hard part? * Alfred hands Amy a large hunting knife. * Amy looks at the knife. "W.. what?" Kill it. ... What? I reccommend a slash across the throat. B.. but.. But what? I.. I can't kill it. Why not? I.. it's just hurt. and it's not trying to hurt anyone. Can't you just.. hocus-pocus and heal it? I could, yes. But we need the meat. And it would be unable to defend itself, even if I did heal it. All it could do is run, and that is a losing proposition. ... b.. but the roots and stuff are good.. Isn't there.. anything you.. or I can do? What do you think we should do? ... I don't know. Y.. you are right about it not being able to defend itself.. but wouldn't a little longer life be better then no life at all? Perhaps... perhaps not. That is something that you have to decide for yourself. * Amy looks at the deer. "..." I can only give you information. I... I don't think I can kill it.. I'm sorry. But you can't heal it, either. so what will you do? .... I don't know. There has to be.. something I can do.. If you leave it here, it can't even run. I know.. Then make your choice. I.. I.. There is a thing that warriors do. * Amy looks at Alfred. "Hm?" Killing a man who will not live for long, so that he does not suffer. ... Isn't.. there anything we can do for it? Besides... that? Well, I suppose we could eat it alive, but that would just be cruel. ... * Amy looks at the knife in her hand.. and then back at the deer. "I.. can't do it. This deer never hurt anyone.. who am I to take it's life, even to ease it's suffering?" It never hurt anyone? Are you so sure? .. I.. guess I can't be.. but.. innocent until proven guilty, right? Everything hurts something, in some way, just by existing. But never on purpose! .. well. Some.. things do. Really? So this deer did not eat on purpose? This deer didn't meant harm to anything. It just needed to survive. It didn't hurt because it wanted to.. And we eat to survive. And trees grow naturally, breaking rocks asunder into dirt. But.. we don't need it's meat. We have other stuff.. Humans cannot truly live on berries and roots alone. Balance requires a creature to eat what it can. This is balance. * Amy looks at the deer, and then back at the knife. "but.. to kill it.. I.. don't know if I could do that. Not when it's here.. defenseless.." Is it any different from stealing the seeds of of a bush when you harvest its berries? ... ... no. Except.. Bushes don't bleed.. and don't die when you take their berries.. Don't be so sure. They don't die when you take their berries, certainly, but would you advocate eating only young animals, newly born? .. No. I just.. * Amy looks at the knife again. All things die. Some just die sooner than others. But.. who am I to decide when that time is? You haven't decided. If you do not kill this deer, it will have a few hours, maybe, or even a day more of existence. That time will be filled with pain, uncertainty, and fear. It is no crime to take the bounty that nature provides. ... * Amy kneels down next to the deer and looks at it.. "... I.." If we had not come, the few hours of fear, uncertainty, and pain would have come anyway. You are not deciding for it to die. Nature has done that already. ... Who are you to decide that nature is wrong, and the beast should live? * Amy places the knife to the deer's neck.. "I.. I can't.." Mind the blood, girl. If you stay where you are, you'll be covered in it. ... * Amy shakes.. I.. I... * Amy moves a bit, to where she wouldn't get covered with blood. "I.. I... I'm so sorry. I.. " * Amy begins crying. * Amy closes her eyes makes the cut, then drops the knife and runs into the forest, away from the sight. * Alfred picks up the knife and field dresses the animal. [An hour or so later...] * Alfred walks up behind Amy, carrying the dressed animal. * Amy stares blankly at a nearby tree. * Alfred puts his hand on Amy's shoulder. * Amy turns her head to look at Alfred. It's time to come home. ... ok. * Alfred turns and begins walking slowly back to the cave. * Amy slowly walks after him, head down. * Alfred slows down and puts an arm around Amy's shoulders. You hurt. I.. killed it. I .. always wanted to help animals and now.. You could not help it. You do not have the knowledge. I.. I know.. but.. I. wish there was something I could have done.. You will have the knowledge, and the power, eventually. FIrst you must learn how and when to apply that knowledge. * Amy nods. You are going to see many things in your time. Many of these things will seem unfair. Nature is not fair. I know. Survival of the fittest and all.. Very good. You have the healing instinct. This is at the same time a good thing and a bad thing. Healing will come easily to you, but your instinct calls out for you to heal every wrong that you see. But.. I can't? You can try. If you do, you will die. ... and that would be a bad thing... For now, think, and know that I am here if you need a shoulder to cry on. You are upset, and I understand. * Alfred walks into the cave. ... Thank you. * Amy follows Alfred into the cave. [Fast Forward] [A week later, in the morning.] * Alfred shakes Amy awake. Outside the cave, it is still dark. * Amy yawns and sits up. "Huh?" Wassgoin' on? We have a duty to perform. * Amy stands up and looks nervously at Alfred, the memory of the deer flashing through her mind. "Err.. ok.." * Alfred walks out of the cave and begins walking back toward Greengaard. * Amy follows Alfred. * Some time later, the two arrive near Greengaard, on the road. A small group of men with axes and carts are waiting. * Amy looks around curiously. And here I thought you'd be late for once, Alfred. And let you take any trees you think look good? I'd have to be insane. Or dead. Come along. I assume you have a few trees left to finish processing while I mark new ones? Yeah. Don't worry, we know the drill. Come along, Amy. Sure thing.. * Alfred walks off into the forest, following a small path just big enough for the carts. The loggers follow. * Amy follows after Alfred. * After just a few minutes, Alfred stops next to a tree that has obviously been felled with an axe. Amy. It is time for another lesson. * Logger sets the men to work on several other trees. Yes sir! I want you to commune with this tree. You remember the way, yes? Y.. yeah, I think so. * Amy walks over to the tree, kneels in front of it and begins to meditate.. * Amy continues meditating. * Amy is a tree. * Struggle to grow, as the light filters down from above. Wonderful light, providing all that is needed. Growing towards the light. * There is no concept of time. * Amusement, as animals attempt to do damage to the tree. Large cats sharpen claws, other animals gnaw at the more sensitive roots. * Strange creatures, using extensions of themselves. They place a mark on the skin? * Amy experiences an incredible burst of pain as an axe bites into her leg. Gah! * Amy continues meditating.. * Over and over again, the axe bites. Past the skin, gnawing through bone. * Amy fights the urge to scream. * Amy falls over, dead. * All is darkness. * Alfred shakes Amy's shoulder. * Amy tries to open her eyes. * Amy's eyes open easily. W... wow. Not the word I expected to hear. Painful, more like. In any case, look at your skin. * Amy looks down at her skin. V.. very painful. * Amy's skin does not appear any different, to her eyes. ... poor tree. It served its purpose. It will continue to serve in death. I.. don't see anything... * Alfred hands Amy the knife she used before. Cut yourself. ... W.. what? Take the knife in one hand, and cut yourself. Try not to cut in someplace essential. * Amy gulps, and makes a small cut on her leg. * The knife does not bite. Amy does not feel the knife against her skin. ... Wh.. what on earth? Cut harder. * Amy cuts harder. * The knife refuses to bite. Harder. * Amy pushes even harder, wondering what on earth is going on. * Finally, a small cut appears on Amy's leg. She feels it, but not nearly as hard as she is pressing. ... What on earth is going on? Congratulations. You've learned your second spell. I suggest you deactivate it now. ... Wow.. * Amy stops pressing the knife and focuses on her skin, trying to imagine it softer. * No visible effect occurs, but Amy can tell that the spell has ended, as her skin is slightly oversensitive. Wow.. That was.. really neat. Neat, yes. It will also allow you to press through the brambles and such without pain. ... so that's how you did it. Wow, that's neat! No, it's not. You won't learn that for quite some time. For now, come with me, and learn how to tell which trees should be cut, and which should be left. .. oh. Well, it's still neat. * Alfred walks off into the forest. Ok! * Amy follows after Alfred. [End Session]