-Aien Wisp-
After basic introductions, I began to set off with the new group and, thankfully, they are kind to me. They begrudgingly treat me with a sense of respect, though that's not the type of respect I want, it'll do until I earn their trust. Riven was the kindest of all of them, turns out he's a dwarf, but it's not as if I'm familiar with the races outside of Gale. I'm pretty sure that Mera is a half-elf, though she's quite touchy around the specifics. Sera seems to be fairly comfortable around me, she's just a human. The party refer to me as a 'Wisp', but they don't really go into detail. They verified this by making a small cut on my hand. It healed on its own though. Turns out that it's not normal for injuries to heal that fast.
The group itself is quite strong actually. Sera plays the role of the party's mage, she can manipulate ice and snow, summoning it for attacks. It works similarly to how I can use the wind around me, though she needs to chant something. Riven is the up-close and personal type, getting around the enemy and swinging at them with a mighty axe, all while Mera rains arrows down.
Their teamwork is incredible, it's a marvel to watch, even if just sat by the side as a healer.
Unfortunately, the desert seemed to want us dead. We need to make detours at least twice a day just to avoid hoard of Crocs, taking the long route while moving up and down whatever rocks this place throws at us. We'd been walking for days, everyone mostly quite to avoid attracting attention.
"So," I spoke up, "How long have you all been in this desert?"
Riven shrugged at this, while Sera began counting on her fingers. "About.. 12, 13... 14 days. So around two weeks." She said. Mera nodded to confirm.
This, admittedly surprised me at first. It wasn't an easy place to get around, but the Gale did have it's advantages for anything looking to avoid trouble. Though, I suppose it must be easy to get thrown off as a adventurer that's newer to the area.
Although, I did have questions. "At what point does the wasteland stop?" I asked, "The forest?"
Sera tilted her head in response, "Yeah. The first hint of any human civilization is just into the forest." She said, her words hanging in the air as we went over the next ridge.
From there, we could finally see trees in the distance, the last stretch of desert standing between us and a much more forgiving place.
"It's closer than I though," I muttered.
Mera peered into the distance, "Closer, but not exactly safe. That stretch of sand is way too open for my liking."
Riven grunted in agreement, "I'm with you there. We should make a run for it as soon as day breaks." With this, we began to move more carefully. Having Riven and Mera protecting our flanks while me and Sera stood in the middle.
We stopped just as the sun began to dip below the horizon, taking up refuge in a semi-circle of jagged rocks. It wasn't ideal, but it kept the elements away and, after today's trip, none of us were particularly picky.
We lit a small fire. Not enough to draw any attention, but enough to cook with and keep us warm for the night.
I sat with my back against a warm rock as the group began to fall into their own rhythm. Sera started unpacking rations while Mera strung her bow. Riven added rocks to the circle to break the wind.
After a while, I spoke up. "So, what exactly is a wisp?"
The fire crackled. Mera's fingers paused on the string and Riven dropped everything he was doing. Sera glanced away, as if she'd been hiding something.
"You really don't know?" She asked, caution in her tone.
I shook my head, "Not much. Not at all really. 'Wisp' is just the last name that my parents gave me. I didn't have a reason to argue."
Mera let out a sigh, "Wisps aren't common. Not at all anymore."
"You're more of a myth than a fact in some places." Riven added.
"That's not very helpful," I muttered. "What even are wisps supposed to be?"
Sera chewed a piece of dried fruit, then sat back with her arms crossed. "From what I know, Wisps are spirits. Not as in ghosts, more like living fragments of the world. Creatures, if you will. They're bound to an element. Not really born, they kind of just... show up."
I looked down at my hands, remembering how fast I healed from the cut. "So I'm not human?" I asked, fearing the response.
"Aien, you're not human," Sera said, "However, it's rare for wisps to manifest as a human. You're certainly not a monster though."
Riven shrugged, "Hell, you bleed red blood and you enjoy stew. It's pretty much the same thing."
The fire crackled between us. I felt steadied, but I wasn't sure I liked the idea of being something other than a person.
"Bundled in with all the other races in the world, you're not exactly a unique case." Mera added, "Elves or Dwarves sometimes think they're human until they are told otherwise. It's not uncommon."
"Thanks." I said simply, marking the end of the conversation as night began to fall deeper.
Riven took first watch and the rest of us curled into our bedrolls.
I lay reaching up to the stars, feeling the wind run between my fingers as it swirled around my hand. I didn't feel like a fragment of the world. I felt like me.
But maybe that was enough for now.
Tomorrow, we'd reach the forest.
We broke the camp just before sunrise. The desert air still clinging to our skin as we completed the last part of the journey.
We didn't speak, the only form of communication we had walking the empty plain of sand was a quiet rhythm to keep us coordinated, focused on getting to the treeline.
Sera walked behind me, quiet but content. Every now and then I'd glance over and see her with her hood down, using her arm to keep the sun out of her face.
Mera scouted ahead, though she stayed within sight. Her bow slung over her shoulder for once, instead of being ready to fire. Riven was also relaxed, his axe in a similar fashion as he chewed down on a strip of dried out meat.
I don't feel like an outsider anymore. Not exactly one of the group, but not a stranger either. I find comfort in that.
As we reached the peak of a small ridge, the desert finally gave way. Merging into the forest that we'd been pursuing for our whole trek through the Gale. It wasn't exactly lush, but the amount of green I could see just kept increasing as we moved further in.
We paused in the shadow of a group of trees. No one said anything, it wasn't needed. The way Mera looked up at the branches. The way Riven exhaled like he'd been holding his breath for the whole trip and the way Sera closed her eyes for a long moment said it all.
I leaned against a tree and the wind slipped past me like a greeting.
This was the edge of something new, not just the edge of the desert.
I don't know what is coming next. However, the peace was enough for now.